


A Tangled Web We Weave...

by Tiger_Tiger_Burning_Bright



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Background Jocelyn Fairchild/Luke Garroway, Background Ragnor Fell/Catarina Loss, Conman Magnus, Guadeloupe Santiago (mentioned), I suck at tagging, Nothing is quite what it seems, Ok so I admit it there will be major angst, Slow Burn Malec, The Lightwoods are grifters too, Valentine Morgenstern (mentioned) - Freeform, but I'm all about the happy ending, conman AU, cop Raj, even if it doesn't seem like it sometimes, even if things get seemingly very very bad, however bad it seems..remember I'm all about the happy ending, hustle AU, its gonna get messy, oh and at summaries as well, there maybe some angst, trust me it will end well
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-06-17
Packaged: 2018-09-20 22:47:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 57,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9519338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tiger_Tiger_Burning_Bright/pseuds/Tiger_Tiger_Burning_Bright
Summary: Home. It was an odd word really for someone who'd never really felt like he belonged anywhere but it was only stepping through the door and being greeted by the lines of yellow cabs waiting for fares that it struck Magnus that yes, New York, was exactly that, his home. Even though it was well into the night the bustle around him felt comforting and relaxing, the sounds and smells that were essentially New York, that were familiar and strangely safe. Here was a city where you could lose yourself, where the crowds would engulf you no matter how flamboyant you were and that kind of anonymity was exactly what Magnus craved right now.It's been five years since Magnus Bane, infamous conman, left New York but when an old friend calls for help he can't resist coming home again.News of the return of Magnus, the so called high warlock of grifting, isn't something that can really be kept quiet and for Jace, Isabelle and Alec Lightwood this may be the break they need.Can Magnus reunite the old team and succeed with his task or has he bitten off more than he can chew this time..Beta'd by the wonderful @LadyMatt





	1. The return of the prodigal..

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone... so this is something a bit new for me (god knows I love a challenge) and I hope you enjoy. I've always been fascinated by the long con and this fic is inspired by the old BBC program Hustle and is my own little tribute to the amazing Robert Vaughn.
> 
> Title is stolen from Sir Walter Scott's epic poem Marmion.
> 
> Huge thatnks to LadyMatt...seriously I couldn't have got this far without you..

Home. It was an odd word really for someone who'd never really felt like he belonged anywhere but it was only stepping through the door and being greeted by the lines of yellow cabs waiting for fares that it struck Magnus that yes, New York, was exactly that, his home. Even though it was well into the night the bustle around him felt comforting and relaxing, the sounds and smells that were essentially New York, that were familiar and strangely safe. Here was a city where you could lose yourself, where the crowds would engulf you no matter how flamboyant you were and that kind of anonymity was exactly what Magnus craved right now.

Magnus grabbed his case and soon settled into a taxi giving the driver an address in Brooklyn.

“Business or pleasure?” The driver looked at Magnus in the rear view mirror.

“Just coming home really. I've been away a while so…” Magnus let the sentence dangle as he stared out the window watching the familiar sites of the city pass him by a small smile playing on his lips.

“Oh yeah. Hey man New York doesn't change..” Magnus nodded and smiled.

“So how long were you away?” There were times when Magnus would've been irritated by getting a chatty driver but tonight it felt good, like in some strange way he was reconnecting with his city.

“Five years. It's good to be home.”

Magnus looked at the driver through the plexiglass. He was middle aged stocky with dark slicked back hair, Italian descent Magnus guessed. A quick look across to his id badge confirmed his suspicions not that he was really surprised. One of his greatest skills was reading people, knowing who they were, how they ticked, what they wanted, all essential in his line of work. Part of the reason why Magnus enjoyed taxi rides was because it was the perfect opportunity to practice his skills.

“Nowhere in the world like it. Me, no way could I stay away that long y’know..” The driver chuckled and looked at Magnus in the rear view mirror.

“I know exactly what you mean.” Magnus stared out the window and realised just how much he'd missed this place.

“So why d’ya leave?” Magnus could see the driver’s brow crinkle in confusion

“Ah…a woman..”Magnus sighed as the driver nodded sagely.

“Ain't that always the way..”

Magnus hummed in agreement as he settled back into the seat, content just to let the chatter wash over him.  
………

  
Frank slumped down in the chair behind the counter and frowned steadily as he surveyed the nearly empty bodega. By all rights he should be at home with a beer lying on the sofa but no thanks to some snot nosed kid he was stuck here manning the shop. Surely the whole point in being the boss was you got other people to do the heavy lifting, right? Wrong, kids these days knew their rights and demanded them constantly, everything from good working conditions to proper wages, it made him sick. Like he was going to pay some frigging teenager over $10 an hour to man the graveyard shift, hell they should be grateful for the job, but no they never were which is why he was stuck here having had to let the last kid go.

Frank huffed angrily to himself as he settled down making his mind up to look for some stupid illegal, those guys were desperate and he hardly had to pay them anything. Yep that's definitely what he'd do.

The jangle of the door drew his attention and he glanced across in disappointment at the two college kids who had just entered. Typical fucking jocks, both looked clean cut and bland in their running gear and hoodies, honestly it was hardly worth his while. Experience told him all they'd do is spend a couple of dollars on energy drinks and then be off.

Frank switched his attention back to the racing times and began scanning the form again. The phone rang shrilly beside him and muttering under his breath he answered it.

“Yup.”

“Ah Hi…look I wonder if you can help me.” Frank suddenly found himself sitting up slightly more, the voice on the other end of the line was female and husky and there was a hint of a slight accent, French maybe, whatever it was it was definitely very sexy.

“I can certainly try..” Frank smirked to himself as he heard the woman sigh on the other end of the phone.

“Oh thank you. I am so sorry, you're going to think I'm very silly.” The woman purred.

“I'm sure I won't.” Frank put on his best reassuring tone.

“Ok well…oh this is so embarrassing. I was in your shop earlier, oh you won't remember I'm sure I bought that bottle of fizz…”

Frank’s interest was piqued because this one he definitely remembered, in fact it had been his one high point of the last few hours. No red blooded man could've missed her, dark hair, body to die for and that black dress that seemed to fit every gorgeous curve perfectly.

“Oh yeah I remember..you're the lady who'd forgotten to bring something for the dinner party..”

“Oh wow, that's so sweet you remembered me. I’m sure you see so many people..anyway I think maybe when I was in there I lost my bracelet..I don't suppose..well no one has handed it in have they…it's just..” the woman's voice cracked as if she was holding back a sob.

“I'm sorry no..” Frank winced as he heard the woman sniffing sadly on the other end. “Hey don't worry I'll have a look for you..if it's here I promise I'll find it.. it means alot to you huh?”

“I'm sorry, it's just it was my grandmother’s. It was the last thing she gave to me before..I feel like such a fool..” Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the two jocks had arrived at the counter as predicted energy drinks in hand. Frank frowned at the pair while turning his back slightly, signalling with his hand for them to wait. “My parents, they told me not to wear it, that it was too valuable but I….then I lose it…please can you try and find it….maybe you could put up a sign ….I'll even offer a reward..”

The woman sounded frantic as Frank reached for a pen thinking of the many ways he could help a woman like her. Behind him he noticed the ridiculously tall dark haired jock looking at his watch pointedly and rolling his eyes while the blonde one was chatting away.

“Yeah I can do that..why don't you give me your name and number and I'll call you if I find anything.” Frank tried as hard as he could to ignore the college kids but just as he was turning away more he noticed something glittering in the blonde’s hand, something that looked remarkably like a piece of jewellery. Fuck, typical, those pair of numbnuts had found the bracelet..

“Oh that would be lovely..OK, so my name is Celeste..” The woman, Celeste breathed down the phone before relaying her phone number as Frank scrawled it down on the back of his hand. “And if you could put on the notice about the reward..$500.. does that sound enough?”

“That sounds very generous..it's pretty valuable eh?” Frank’s interest was definitely caught now, a hot grateful chick and money, two of his favourite things. He turned slightly back towards the desk and surreptitiously glanced at what was in the blonde guy’s hand. There was no mistaking it, a silver bracelet, with what looked like diamonds, so all he had to do was get it off them.

“Oh yes..” Celeste purred on the end of the line.. “So if you hear anything..please call me..”

“I will I promise..” he reassured her

“Thank you..sorry I didn't catch your name..”

“It's Frank.” He replied his eyes glued to his prize in the young man's hand in front of him.

“Oh thank you Frank..” With that Celeste hung up and Frank could turn all his attention to the guys in front of him.

“Sorry to keep you, just those..?” Frank nodded towards the two bottles of drink and the brunette guy just grunted in reply as Frank rang up the items on the till. “That's $3 then… wait what ya got there?”

Frank turned his attention to the bracelet in the blonde’s hand, secretly congratulating himself for playing it so cool.

“Oh thank god…that's my daughter’s bracelet..she's been driving me nuts trying to find that old thing, must have lost it it the shop..” Frank went to grab the blonde’s hand but he was too quick and pulled it out of reach.

“Hey buddy..slow down..” The blonde wrinkled his brow and turned to his friend. “Man he thinks we're dumb..listen pal I just heard you on the phone… something about something valuable and I'm betting this little beauty is what the you're looking for..” the blond guy dangled the bracelet from his hand just out of reach and Frank swore under his breath.

“Fine whatever..can't blame a guy for trying..still I'm the only one who knows how to contact the woman who owns it so…” Frank sneered.

“So..we’ll just put in on facebook or sell it whatever..” The blonde huffed and the tall grumpy looking one just rolled his eyes passing the money over for the drinks.

“Ok whoa, hold up..look you found that it my shop..” Frank was starting to panic, that lovely vision of a hot grateful woman and a wad of easy money rapidly fading.

“So…” The blonde glared at him.

“Look..tell you what why don't I call the broad who lost it and we can share the reward when she gets here..” Frank tried to calm the situation down..

“Ok…that could work..” The blonde eyed him skeptically.

“Bro..I am not hanging around here waiting for some woman to turn up..I'm meeting Lisa in like...” The brunette glanced at his watch. “Fuck in like 30 minutes..we gotta go..just forget it..”

As the tall guy turned to leave the blonde grabbed his arm and Frank saw his opportunity.

“Look I have an idea..why don't you leave the bracelet with me and I'll give you half the reward now..problem solved..look $100 right there..” Frank grabbed the money from the till and waved it enticingly in front of the blonde.

“Cool .. can we go now..” The brunette huffed.

“No wait… we don't even know what the reward was.. maybe we should just wait…” The blonde glared at his friend.

“Lisa fucking Mackenzie dude, and she's bringing a friend..just fucking take the money..” His friend hissed.

Frank could see the blonde guy hesitate and decided to try again, after all Celeste had offered $500 dollars.

“Fine ok… look here's $200… just give me the bracelet..” The brunette stared hard at his friend.

“Just take the money already..” Frank practically held his breath, granted it wasn't ideal but $300 for doing nothing was a pretty good result.

“Ok whatever…listen bud this friend of hers better be seriously hot..” The blonde guy reluctantly handed over the bracelet and grabbed the cash before the pair of them left the shop still talking about some college bimbos they were off to nail.

Frank pocketed the bracelet feeling very proud of himself. He'd give it five minutes then phone Celeste just in case the jocks came back. Happy with his decision he settled back on the chair behind the desk and grinned happily to himself.

What he didn't see is the two guys walking down the block and bursting into laughter before getting into a waiting car driven by a brunette in a very tight black dress and waving the wedge of cash victoriously in front of her before driving off.

………

Magnus stepped out of the cab and grabbed his case. Leaning through the window he handed over the fare to the driver with a hefty tip as well.

“Hey Luca, buy that lovely wife something nice eh.” He said with a grin. During the course of the drive Magnus had succeeded in basically getting the cabbie’s life story and by now they were chatting away like old friends, if in fact one of said friends knew nothing about the other’s life and didn't even know their real name that is.

“Oh man, thanks.” Luca’s eyes crinkled happily as he saw the tip he'd been given “hey Harry, be lucky eh?”

“Always.” Magnus gave the driver a wink before setting off. He'd have to walk a bit to his loft because there was absolutely no way he was letting anyone bar his trusted inner circle know exactly where he lived. No, the loft was his safe place, his lair as his friend Ragnor often jokingly called it, and the fewer people who knew about it the better.

It took less than five minutes to reach his place and Magnus felt a strange mix of excitement and comfort wash over him as he unlocked the door. Everything was exactly as he'd left it, it was as if the whole place had waited patiently for him to return and he couldn't help the smile that crossed his face.

As he walked into the living room he saw a large bouquet of flowers and helium balloons on the table with a box of pastries from his favourite bakery beside them. Above the fireplace there was a brightly coloured banner with welcome home written on it in bold writing.  
Magnus grabbed the card on the flowers and tore open the envelope.

_Finally  
Cat and Rag._

Magnus burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the loft.

He put his case down and moved over to the drinks cart, glad to see that Ragnor hadn't drunk all his whiskey while he'd been away, either that or Cat had bought more. He poured himself a drink and wandered into the kitchen to grab some ice, noting that Cat had restocked the fridge for him, of course she had.

As he walked to the double doors that opened out onto the roof terrace the ice  
clinked gently in his glass.

The sky was just starting to lighten as he stepped outside, the first hints of dawn just creeping across the horizon. Magnus leaned on the terrace wall and sipped his drink watching his city wake up and felt strangely content, something he hadn't felt for a long time.

He stood and watched the sun rise for quite sometime before the tiredness started to hit him, a combination of jet lag and long haul flights, and reluctantly he left the view behind him and practically collapsed on his bed almost instantly fast asleep.

.………

“That was beautiful….” Jace lounged back in the front seat gently fanning himself with the wad of money before peering round the headrest to grin at Alec stretched out in the back seat. “Oh no..Iz he has the serious face on...quick where’s the booze.”

Izzy chuckled to herself whilst Alec just glowered back.

“We got lucky..” Alec ran his fingers through his hair distractedly. The more he thought about what had happened the more he could see the weaknesses in their plan and for someone like Alec who liked to cover all eventualities it was disturbing to say the least.

Jace just huffed in response and rolled his eyes and Alec fought down the increasing sense of frustration that his siblings just didn't see the bigger picture, didn’t see the risks they were taking that were completely avoidable with just a little more planning.

“Dude, luck had nothing to do with it…” Jace pouted.

“Yes it did. Iz took a risk with that stupid French accent, what if the guy actually could speak French?” Iz snorted in the background. “And we went in on the basis of some drunk college kid moaning in a bar, no real research, just luck..”

“You're such a buzzkill big brother…” Izzy teased.

“No I'm not...look we've got to get better, cover all bases or one day we’re gonna get caught out. God why can't you guys see that…” Alec sighed as he stared out the window, frustrated that once again he'd been pushed into the role of sensible older brother. Izzy and Jace were talented and confident that much was sure, but they weren't invincible like they thought they were and the thought of them getting caught filled him with dread, he'd lost far too much already.

“Oh you’re just sore that you didn't find the mark this time..” Jace grumbled as he turned back to stare out the windscreen.

“No Jace I'm not...I just don't want to get caught..” Alec snapped back starting an intense staring competition with Jace via the rear view mirror.

“Boys, boys...you’re totally ruining my good mood...look Alec we promise to be more careful next time, Ok? But for now can we just enjoy the moment?..” Izzy looked pointedly between the two of them before pulling over to the side of the road. “Anyway, out, both of you..we’re back and I need to return the car before anyone notices it's gone..”

“I'm guessing I really don't want to know where you got it from..” Alec sighed suddenly feeling very tired.

“You really don't.” Izzy chuckled. “Anyway won't be long and you two better not be arguing by the time I get back. Have a drink, have fun..even you can manage that brother dearest.”

Alec and Jace stood awkwardly outside of the car with Alec still feeling somewhat frustrated by his brothers lack of understanding that this wasn't just some fun game and whilst the ability to adapt was important it was also essential to constantly have things planned out.

“She's right you know..” Jace mumbled and Alec just looked at him carefully, left eye slightly narrowed. “Look, I get it Alec, I do and I..well we...Izzy and I… we do appreciate what you do. I know I get a bit over excited but how about this… I promise I'll try and listen more, yeah?”

Alec looked at the serious expression on Jace's face and couldn't help but give him a lopsided smile..

“Yeah..ok..” It was impossible to stay frustrated at Jace for too long anyway.

Jace broke into a broad grin which was infuriatingly infectious.

“Cool...well let's get inside and crack this baby open..” Jace waved the bottle in front of Alec's face before bouncing off towards their apartment..

“Anyway you should be impressed….I didn't even crack up when that idiot thought you were straight...what a moron..” Jace teased over his shoulder..

Alec stifled a laugh as he followed his brother in the door.

……….

The bookstore was on a small side street seemingly squashed between a pharmacy and a gift shop. It was small but perfectly inviting, it's window filled with an old battered armchair surrounded by stacks of books. Above the window a sign indicated in large decorative script that Magnus had found the right place.

_The Bookworm_

Even though it was late in the afternoon the shop was still busy as Magnus stepped through the door giving him the perfect opportunity to take in his surroundings. The shop was a curious mix of traditional and modern and the overall effect was inviting and cosy.

By the side of the counter was a coffee machine which Magnus took advantage of before sitting in one of the many chairs scattered amongst the book stacks, taking his time to observe the scene in relative peace.

Magnus was halfway through his coffee when a man emerged from the back office to check on the young woman serving customers. The man had short cropped dark hair and a neatly trimmed beard with dark mahogany skin and the crinkles around his dark eyes made it clear that this was someone who was rarely seen without a smile on his face.

Magnus held back a smile as he watched the man carefully look after customers and staff alike before finally looking up, realising he was being watched and meeting Magnus gaze. Within seconds a broad grin filled his handsome face and brushing off everyone all around him he came striding over.

“Magnus...when did you get back..” Magnus couldn't help but grin back as he was pulled into a giant bear hug.

“Hey Luke..” He mumbled against Luke's chest before Luke let go and held him at arm's length looking at him closely.

“Damn it's good to see you…” Luke chuckled as Magnus settled back into his seat.  
“Here let me grab a coffee and you can tell me everything.”

Magnus was still smiling when Luke returned coffee in hand and settled down.

“You've done well old friend.” Magnus nodded towards the shop.

“Yeah it's been good. You know how it is, gotta keep busy.” Luke winked a self deprecating smile on his face but the look of pride in his eyes was unmistakeable.

“It suits you...you look well..” Magnus chuckled. “And Joss and Clary they're well?”

“Yeah they're great, Clary's got her first exhibition next week you should come.”

“Wouldn't miss it.” Luke sipped his drink and looked carefully at Magnus before bursting into laughter.

“You're so deflecting my friend. So you gonna tell me why you're really here or are we going to carry on with the small talk?” Luke nudged Magnus playfully in the ribs.

“Oh thank god..” Magnus laughed happily. “There was me thinking I leave you for five minutes …”

“Five years..”

“Whatever.. anyway there was me thinking going straight had made you into a responsible adult..” Magnus teased gently.

“Hey take that back..” Luke crossed his arms pretending to be insulted, his smile giving him away. “Yeah, this is great and all but i have to admit it, it's good to see you again. Honestly, life's been a bit dull since you left..”

“What can I say, who wants a boring life..” Magnus grinned.

“I’ll drink to that.” The two men knocked their coffee mugs together.

“So I'm meeting up with a few people in Pandemonium tomorrow night. If you and Jocelyn are free it would be great to have you there. Unless of course you're too busy being legitimate business owners.” Magnus teased although there was no doubt he felt somewhat anxious waiting for Luke's response.

“See I knew it you're up to something...count me in.” Luke grinned back and Magnus felt like he could breathe again, some of the tension going out of his shoulders.

“Glad to hear it.” He drained his drink and stood up. “Look we’ll catch up more tomorrow ‘cos this damned jet lag is kicking my ass right now.”

Luke nodded sagely. Just as Magnus was about to leave Luke grabbed his arm.

“One question. Why now?” He asked seriously.

“Raphael needs our help…”

  
………

  
Alec placed the paper cup on the table, steam rising from the coffee inside and placing the papers on the table reached for his laptop and settled down. Jace and Izzy always laughed at his love of routine but they failed to realise, or maybe he'd never fully explained how, this daily ritual helped to calm him, to find a sense of clarity in this crazy life they had found themselves in.

It was a simple thing, a series of actions he tried to do every morning. The walk to the coffee shop cleared his thoughts, his order always the same, coffee, black unsweetened, although the shops he frequented varied to preserve his sense of anonymity. On the way back he'd stop at one of the many booths that littered New York and pick up a selection of papers and then coffee warming his hand and papers shoved under his arm, he'd make his way home always conscious to take a different route if possible.

Settling down he removed the lid from his drink and inhaled the rich scent of bitter black coffee before taking a drink and beginning.

He knew what he was looking for, the snippets of news print or websites that would draw his attention and carefully he would circle the things he saw or write notes on what he'd find to research at the end of his search.

It was all there, the minutiae of life in the big apple. As he skimmed over the bigger stories he looked for the details, the little guys getting screwed over and those that took advantage.

When they began, Alec had insisted that they would only con those who truly deserved it and, despite Jace’s protestations that you couldn't con an honest man, this was what he'd always done. Despite it all it made him feel that they were somehow doing good, making a difference and not just mindless criminals. The Robin Hood of Grifting, Izzy often teased, but in his own way that was what he wanted and if the innocent victims he found in the sheets of newspaper sometimes found an extra few dollars seemingly by chance or had a drink bought for them in a bar then no one needed to be any wiser. It wasn't much but it was the best he could do.

He was well into his research, the paper littered with a depressingly large number of circled articles for further investigation when he saw it.

Blackwell Development set to regenerate East Harlem

The article was brutal in its appraisal of the construction company and implying, although never outright stating, that they had a history of unethical dealings in order to achieve their aims.

Alec sighed as he finished off his coffee, this was what he wanted, to one day find a way to punish these big corporations preying on the weak and vulnerable, the illusive long con which sadly they were a long way from being able to pull off.

His thoughts were interrupted by Jace returning from his morning run, slamming the door loudly behind him before running up to him.

“Hey buddy...grab Iz..you will never guess what I found out today..” Jace rocked excitedly on the balls of his feet as Alec looked at him through narrowed eyes.

As Jace nodded at him excitedly, Alec sighed deeply before getting up to wake their sister who could in no way be described as a morning person.

Ten minutes later they were all settled in their makeshift living room, Izzy still bundled up in a fluffy purple dressing gown and matching slippers clutching a mug of coffee in her hands as if it were a lifeline.

“This’d better be good..” she grumbled before lifting the mug to her lips.

“Izzy it's 10.30…” Alec had to stifle a laugh at the glare his sister threw at him in response.

“Stop it guys...this is so worth it…” Jace looked like he could barely contain his excitement before continuing. “So I caught up with one of my contacts this morning and guess what...he’s back..”

Only when he was greeted by the blank faces of his siblings did he seem to realise he needed to be a bit more specific.

“Magnus freaking Bane, the high warlock of grifting, only flew back to New York..” Apparently still not happy with Alec and Izzys lack of enthusiasm, he continued. “Don’t you see? This is it, our big break...if Magnus is back he's up to something...so we can learn about long cons from the legend himself..”

Jace was bouncing happily and Izzy was finally beaming, only Alec remained sceptical, eyeing his siblings cautiously. Everyone had heard of Magnus Bane, hell he was practically a superhero to those in their line of work and there was no doubt in Alec's mind that learning from him would indeed step them up to the next level but equally well he knew the chances of that ever happening were slim to say the least.

“Ok Alec, spill...I bring you the best news and you still look grumpy. Dude how is that even possible?” Jace crossed his arms in front of his chest and glared at his brother.

“Look I get it OK...it's just how exactly are we gonna convince Magnus to let us in on whatever he's planning?” Alec rubbed his neck thoughtfully.

“Firstly don't forget that we've built up quite a rep in the last few years. You and I both know grifters like to talk so he's bound to have heard of us.” Alec raised an eyebrow and Jace just held up a hand to silence him before continuing and counting off reasons on his fingers. “Secondly we all know that Camille split on them so they're down a crew member, so I'm betting he's open to recruiting new members. Thirdly and most importantly, I'd lay odds I know exactly where he’ll be tomorrow night and I just know if I can talk to him, I can convince him to give us a shot.”

Jace threw himself dramatically onto the nearest armchair and lounged back with a undeniably smug look on his face.

“Fine, I’ll bite..where do you think he’ll be?..” Alec shrugged his shoulders slightly. Over the years the one thing he'd learnt about Jace was there were some battles worth fighting and sometimes, times like this, there was no way you'd talk him out of his plans. One thing was sure and that was that Jace was going to go and find Magnus Bane and Alec knew he had to be there, as ever, to have his brother’s back.

“He’ll go to Pandemonium, bound to...I mean the guys been away for years so he’s bound to check up on his own club and I have it on good authority that he's meeting up with friends there.” There was no mistaking the victorious look on Jace's face and Alec couldn't help but roll his eyes. On his list of places to go, a sweaty, packed nightclub was probably the lowest of the low and his brother damn well knew it.

“So you mean we get to drag grumpy over there to the hottest club in town. This.Is.Brilliant…” Izzy was bouncing with excitement and studiously ignored the filthy look Alec threw in her direction.

“Yup.” Jace replied happily and Alec couldn't help but find his siblings joy at his undeniable discomfort grating.

“You're going to go whatever I say aren't you?” Alec looked between Izzy and Jace who were both nodding their heads enthusiastically. “Fine then. Someone has to stop the pair of you getting into trouble..”

“Oh you're gonna love it big brother...I'll sort out what you're wearing and ...well this is gonna be fun..” Izzy leapt to her feet, the idea of partying seeming to fill her with the kind of energy that even caffeine couldn't provide.

“It's really not..”Alec muttered under his breath.

 

 

 

 


	2. Picking up the pieces....

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus begins to reconnect with his old life and the Lightwoods are determined to find him...
> 
> They're not the only ones though and not everyone is a High Warlock fan...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone.....so chapter 2 is a little bit early as I fully expect to be in a Malec shaped puddle after episode 6.... I hope you enjoy

Raj practically threw himself into his chair trying, and likely failing to hide his frustration at how the meeting had gone. He had the utmost respect for detective Vargas, who had shown herself to be both honest and fair since she’d taken over, but she was wrong on this one and it was beyond frustrating that she couldn’t see that.

As soon as the name had flagged up Raj had just known that something was up, granted it was possible he was just back to catch up with friends but call it instinct, he just knew there was something else going on. Detective Vargas disagreed.

It had always struck Raj during his time at the academy that there was something fascinating about grifters particularly those that worked the long con. There seemed to be almost a grudging respect amongst the force for them and quite frankly Raj never quite understood why. These were people that took advantage of others and worse still abused their trust and he couldn't help but feel that as a group they had no moral compass whatsoever. Raj quite simply didn't subscribe to the common belief that grifters were the gentlemen of crime like so many of his colleagues did.

When he'd finally graduated from the academy his obsession with swindlers stayed with him and he always kept his ear to the ground. Over the years one name had kept coming up, a man that informants spoke of with almost a reverential awe, but it was also common knowledge that he'd quit New York, possibly for good.

Raj had managed to pick up some of the common pseudonyms the so called ‘High Warlock’ went by and had flagged them at customs in the vain hope that maybe one day he'd have a shot at putting him behind bars.

Then this morning the one thing he’d been waiting for happened. There, sitting in his inbox when he started his shift, was the email telling him that not only had the elusive grifter returned to New York but he'd done so under his real name, Magnus Bane.

This was it, this was his opportunity. Only it wasn't. When he'd tried to convince detective Vargas, for what felt like the hundredth time, she’d completely stonewalled him yet again, pointing out that spending police resources on what was essentially nothing more than hearsay and hunch was not going to happen. Clearly, she'd told him, if Magnus Bane had never been caught there was good reason for it and that despite the fact that he was a good cop he should leave well alone unless he had hard evidence to go on.

Raj had annual leave next week and, Vargas had told him, he should take full advantage and rest up and not let some mythical uber criminal get under his skin.

It wasn't that he couldn't see her point of view and to be fair if anyone had come to him telling him the same story he probably would've said the same. He respected detective Vargas, he really did, and he knew that managing the somewhat limited resources of the NYPD was tough, but at the same time he just knew he was right. He just knew.

“Hey Raj...c’mon we gotta case and seeing as you're bailing on me next week I wanna get this sewn up quick.” Raj shut down his thoughts to give his partner his full attention.

Granted they'd only been working together for a short time but Alaric seemed like a good guy and honestly maybe a new case was exactly what he needed to keep himself busy until he worked out what exactly to do about Magnus Bane.

.………

Magnus blinked his eyes open sleepily but it was only when he heard sounds coming from the loft that his eyes snapped open instantly on high alert. Grabbing his purple silk robe, he hastily rushed into the living room to find out what was going on. It wasn't so much that he was worried per se, after all only a few select people were even aware of the loft’s existence, but the distinctive sound of clattering made him feel decidedly uncomfortable at the thought that someone was wrecking his perfectly organised kitchen.

“At last…” A rather grumpy voice greeted him and Magnus caught sight of Ragnor sitting in armchair sipping a cup of tea out of a very flowery teacup and was caught between rolling his eyes and smiling so decided on doing both. Had he not been so sleepy he would've worked out who was there.

“Oh leave the poor man alone..” Catarina chided gently as she emerged from the kitchen coffee cup in hand before handing it to Magnus with a friendly smile and a wink.

“Well honestly, i thought he'd sleep for ever..” Ragnor grumbled under his breath earning a hard stare from his wife.

“Anyway, breakfast is on its way so sit down and relax and you..” Catrina stared at Ragnor. “Behave yourself.”

Magnus couldn't help but chuckle as he slumped down on the sofa. It was no secret that he found it hard to trust people, and his chosen career path really didn't help with that, but Cat and Ragnor were more than friends, they were family.

“Always do…” Ragnor muttered at Cat’s retreating form.

“It's good to know somethings don't change.” Magnus laughed as he nodded between Cat and Ragnor. “And by the way, where did you get that hideous teacup from anyway?”

“Brought it with me. It’s called standards..” Ragnor smiled back his eyes crinkling.

Magnus paused for a second to fully appraise his friend. Granted, while he'd been away they'd talked frequently but it was comforting to be together again and apart from slightly more grey in his hair and a few more wrinkles, Ragnor was exactly the same as he'd always been, the epitome of a British gentleman.

Everything about Ragnor was perfectly crafted to portray a certain image, from his immaculately tailored suit, just the right side of flamboyant, to his perfectly coiffed hair and his ivory pale skin which seemed to be almost allergic to tanning.

“Honestly, could you be more British?..” Magnus teased.

“One does try..” Despite the time apart, Magnus felt himself relax as the pair slipped effortlessly back into their pattern of playful banter that they had always had. “Anyway I’ll only say this once, it's good to have you back old friend.”

“Oh Ragnor, you're getting soppy in your old age..”

“God forbid..”

Any further conversation was effectively stopped by Catarina reemerging from the kitchen, laden with a large plate of waffles which made Magnus realise just how hungry he was. Seeing Cat, Ragnor instantly placed his cup on the table and jumped up to help her and Magnus couldn’t help but smile at the domesticity of it all, how the pair of them, even after all these years, seemed to communicate without words.

Magnus watched happily as his old friends arranged a positive feast on the dining table and wondered how he'd managed to stay away as long as he had. To many Catarina and Ragnor seemed, at first, an odd couple. Ragnor was a buttoned up, tweed loving, Brit and Catarina with her blue streaks in her black hair and dark ebony complexion, was a New Yorker through and through but if you looked beyond the superficial, it was all there in their small touches and small smiles. Here were two souls who were always destined to be together.

Despite it all, Magnus was an eternal romantic at heart and Cat and Rag were proof that even with their lifestyle, the relationship he'd always dreamed of was possible.

“Hey..” Catarina shoulder nudged Magnus, effectively bringing him back to reality. “I didn't go to all this bother to let the food go cold…”

“I missed you Cat…” Magnus muttered as Cat bundled him into a hug.

“You too..” She whispered in his ear before pulling back. “Now eat..”

“Yes ma’am..” Magnus gave her a mock salute before settling down at the table.

…………

Alec slammed the laptop closed in frustration as Izzy joined him at the makeshift dining table.

“No luck..?” She looked down at him sympathetically before pulling up a chair.

“Nada, nothing. The guy is literally a ghost...I mean seriously in this day and age how is it possible that there isn't a single picture apart from some barely recognisable, blurry club shots….” Alec rubbed his neck which was aching badly from hours of failed research trying to find any information, anything at all, about the elusive Magnus Bane.

“He's good..” Izzy muttered

“Yeah too good..”

“So what do we know? There must be something…” Izzy looked up at her big brother expectantly.

“Honestly not much. So all I could find out was mainly from rumour and there's not even much of that. Literally the only personal information I know is that Magnus is of Asian descent, likely from Indonesia but even that is in dispute, is known for being rather flamboyant and is rarely seen without full makeup and glitter. It does seem likely that he owns Pandemonium but honestly there’s more information on Maia Roberts who manages the place..” Hours of research and that was all Alec could find out and it was unreliable at best.

“Maybe that's our way in...through this Maia…” Izzy wrinkled her forehead in concentration as if figuring out a puzzle.

“I doubt it. One thing I can tell is Magnus is very careful with who he trusts and I think the chances of anyone who really knows him letting anything slip are slim at best..” Alec knew he was being defeatist but he really couldn't help it.

“There has to be something..”

Alec stood and started pacing, partly to relieve the stiffness of staying in the same position for hours and partly as keeping mobile helped him to think.

“Yeah well Jace seems to think he’ll just be able to walk into Pandemonium and locate Magnus instantly, having by some miracle recognised him, and convince him that what he needs is three complete strangers to join him in whatever he's planning. Honestly i just don't see it..” At times like this he wished he had his brother's optimism but that just wasn't his way.

“Maybe he's right..”

“He’s not..” Alec paused placing his palms flat on the tabletop and looking across at Izzy.

“Yeah...but you won't stop him…”

“I know..”

“He needs this Alec…”

“Trust me, Iz…. I know that too..” Alec sighed as he slumped back into his seat.

This was his fault, he knew that, but for the life of him he didn't know how to help Jace. If only….if only Jace hadn't walked in that day, hadn't heard him arguing with his parents and most of all if only his parents, in their anger, hadn't let the truth slip out.

Alec ran his fingers through his hair knowing that his train of thought was pointless. There was nothing he could do about the past but, he promised himself once again, he would do everything in his power to help his brother in the future.

“Where is he anyway?” Concern flitted through Alec’s mind. Since Jace had learnt of Magnus’ return he'd been like a man possessed and seeing him so single minded made Alec uneasy. His brother wasn't good at taking disappointment and Alec couldn't help but feel that things were heading in that direction.

“Trying to get information out of his contacts..that'd be my guess..” Izzy sighed.

“Again?”

Izzy only nodded sadly.

“Look Alec, I know you don't like his plan but honestly I don't see we have any choice at this stage…” It struck Alec that, once again, his sister was the perfect middle ground between him and Jace, a mixture of his brother’s impulsiveness tempered with Alec’s caution. Wickedly smart and stunningly beautiful Izzy, he thought, had grown into an incredible woman.

“You're right..” Alec sighed in defeat.

“I usually am…” Izzy stood up and patted him reassuringly on the shoulder. “Anyway it might be fun…”

…………..

Only after they'd eaten a companionable meal and had the perfect opportunity to catch up, did Magnus feel that the time was right to steer the conversation back to the reason he'd returned.

“So...you gonna fill me in on the real reason you wanted me to come back.” Magnus sipped his coffee and glanced between his two friends unable to hide the excitement in his eyes.

“I thought you'd never ask..” Ragnor reached into the battered old briefcase he always carried with him and pulled out a paper.

Clearing the plates out of the way he spread it on the table and tapped lightly to indicate the article.

Magnus raised an eyebrow in question before starting to read, the realisation dawning on him as he worked his way through the piece.

“So….I take it this is about Guadeloupe...that's why Raphael needs us…” Magnus muttered deep in thought.

Catarina nodded in response. In all the years they'd known Raphael there was one thing that was beyond doubt, to Raphael Santiago family was everything and there was almost nothing he wouldn't do to protect his brothers or his mother, Guadeloupe.

“If this goes ahead she’ll lose everything. From what Raphael says they've tried everything but the company involved don't exactly play by the rules so…” Ragnor explained.

“So neither should we..”Magnus crossed his arms firmly.

“You have a plan?” Catarina smiled.

“I do...look can you get Raphael to Pandemonium tonight. Luke’ll be there and he's bringing Jocelyn, Clary and Sherman..” Magnus smiled elusively as he felt the familiar shiver of adrenalin coursing through him as a plan started to form, ignoring Catarina fondly shaking her head as he misnamed Simon once again.

“Oh I like that. He goes to see Luke before he catches up with his oldest friends.’ Ragnor grumbled good naturedly, earning himself a bat on the arm from Catarina.

“Well I figured I might need to persuade him, what with him going straight and all that. I know you two are always up for a challenge.” Magnus winked

“And did you…..need to persuade him?” Cat asked.

“Actually no...it would appear being a responsible adult isn't as much fun as you'd think..” Magnus laughed.

“Why am I not surprised..but yeah we’ll get Raphael there tonight..” Catarina patted Magnus reassuringly on the arm.

“Good, great. Then let the fun begin..” Magnus grinned happily.

……….

Alec’s mood had definitely not improved during the day and being stuck in a busy club filled with loud music and flashing lights was really not helping in the slightest.

Jace had come home practically bouncing with excitement, now apparently 100% sure that Magnus Bane would be at Pandemonium tonight and that he would recognise him. As much as Alec had tried to caution him that maybe it wouldn't be that easy Jace had simply brushed his worries away, even going as far as accusing him of overthinking.

Jace being Jace, meant his enthusiasm was infectious and soon Izzy was acting like an excitable teenager and there were only so many times he could be told that he was being pessimistic before he had to at least pretend to be on board with this ridiculous non-plan.

Alec leaned back on the bar feeling decidedly uncomfortable as he sipped on his beer. Strictly speaking, he knew drinking was a bad idea but he honestly wasn't sure how he was going to get through the evening without it. It was bad enough that he felt like he stuck out like a sore thumb, but now his siblings had left him alone to look for their target, he was more self conscious than ever. Izzy had insisted on his current outfit of black skinny jeans and forest green button down, which allegedly brought out his eyes, but it was all ridiculously tight. Alec had resigned himself to the fact that if he was stuck here he should at least try and find someone who fitted Magnus’ description.

As he scanned the crowds it became increasingly apparent that it was an exercise in futility, the club was dark and, despite the fact that it was only 9pm, completely heaving. He could see Izzy dancing happily through the crowds and the occasional flash of blonde hair showed Jace to be doing the same on the opposite side of the room.

Alec had stubbornly refused to move from his position at the end of the bar, partly because it gave him a tiny amount of respite from the swarming crowds on the dance floor but also because it gave him the perfect spot from which to observe the entrance to the VIP area. Izzy had tried earlier to charm her way in there and had been politely turned away having been informed that sadly, it was closed for a private party. If, and it was a big if, Magnus Bane was going to appear tonight Alec was sure that was where he'd end up.

Whilst his siblings mingled in the hope of getting more information, he’d quietly observed the roped off area protected by two rather large, burly bouncers. Considering it was a supposedly private party very few people had entered and Alec had carefully noted all of them.

The first people to arrive had been a group of four, two men and two women. The oldest of the men looked to be late 30s to early 40s and was dark skinned with close cropped hair and a beard. His hand rested softly on the back of the older woman, clearly his wife or girlfriend.

The two women seemed to be related, both having red hair and pale skin, although the older woman's hair was a darker auburn whilst the younger one’s was a deep fiery red. His best guess was they were mother and daughter given the age gap between them.

The fourth member of the group was the most confusing, not quite seeming to fit. He was around the age of the younger woman but they seemed to be friendly rather than romantic, almost more like siblings but he bore no real resemblance to her. To all intents and purposes he looked every inch a computer geek, his Star Wars t-shirt and jeans combo seeming somewhat incongruous in a trendy nightclub and yet he seemed perfectly at ease.

The second group to arrive were somewhat stranger. There was an ebony skinned woman with blue streaks in her hair, who was laughing happily, her arm linked with a grumpy looking man who was dressed head to food in tweed. The man himself was noticeable, he looked more like he was going to a business meeting than a nightclub, his dark hair perfectly coiffed with salt and pepper highlights and a somewhat sallow complexion. There was, however, no mistaking the ease and comfort the pair had with each other and there was no doubt that they were partners.

The third member of the trio was different again, in fact Alec would go so far as saying he was the only one who seemed to fit in with the environment, despite him looking decidedly unhappy to be there. He was Latino in appearance and his dark hair was perfectly styled without a hair out of place. His clothes were smart and perfectly tailored and Alec was sure that his jacket was designer, because despite having no interest in fashion himself, you didn't grow up with Isabelle Lightwood without being able to spot quality clothing.

So far those were the only people who had gone into the cordoned off area and they had all arrived at least an hour ago. Since then everything had been quiet, depressingly so, and there was not even the slightest sign of anyone matching the description of the elusive Bane joining them. Surely if he was going to arrive he would have been here by now, unless of course there was some back entrance to the VIP area that he’d somehow missed during his research.

Alec pinched the bridge of his nose firmly, the frustration starting to get to him. He knew full well that Jace and Isabelle weren't likely to give up anytime soon and to be honest, he was done with the whole situation. All his careful observations seemed completely futile and he was getting more than a little fed up with the general consensus that a guy standing on his own at the bar was looking to be hit on by a drunken stranger. Aiming a glare at a group of giggling women who were heading in his direction, he took a large gulp of his drink before pointedly turning away.

Out of the corner of his eye, Alec noticed a flurry of activity at the club’s entrance and leant back on the bar to observe what was going on.

As the crowds parted almost as if by magic, Alec felt himself freeze, his glass halfway towards his lips as he saw a man practically float into the room. It was impossible to drag his eyes away. Everything about the man captivated him, from his black spiked hair, shot through with bright red streaks, to his dark eyes surrounded with smokey kohl and glitter and his perfect skin that seemed to glow like sunlight.

It was only when the man locked eyes with him that Alec even realised he’d forgotten to breathe and he felt a blush rise to his cheeks.

The man seemed to say something before a small smile spread on his lips as he held Alec’s gaze. Turning towards the VIP area he winked seductively before joining the other guests.

Alec saw a distinctive blonde head making his way towards the man and he realised two things in quick succession. Firstly, that clearly the man was the infamous Magnus Bane, which to be fair he should've realised earlier had he not lost the power of rational thought, and secondly Magnus Bane was the most beautiful man Alec had ever seen.

It was official. Alec Lightwood was screwed.

…………..

Strictly speaking Magnus was late, very late and no doubt both Ragnor and Raphael would make their displeasure very much known but seeing as it had been such a long time since he'd set foot in Pandemonium, he was determined to look the part. Perfection, as he often told them, took time.

Magnus smiled to himself as he entered the club, the heavy baseline from the music making his skin vibrate with anticipation. It was, he thought, despite Ragnor’s reservations, the best place to meet everyone. No doubt his old friend would berate him for dressing so flamboyantly but he was well aware that by now word would likely have spread of his return and at least this way it would appear more like a welcome home party with his closest friends.

Despite the time Magnus couldn't resist pausing to take in the scene, strangely satisfied by the fact that, despite his absence, Pandemonium was as popular as ever and reassuringly unchanged. Even at this relatively early hour the club was busy, the sway of the crowds achingly familiar, even after all this time.

Magnus couldn't help but smile at the groups of revellers, some of them laughing and joking, others seemingly determined to uphold their image of implacable coolness. Magnus felt the eyes of strangers scanning him, his carefully crafted image designed to gain attention. It wasn't arrogance, it was more an understanding that when he stepped into this environment, his clothing and makeup demanded that people look and it was entirely intentional. So often in what he liked to think of as his work life, his intention was to blend into the background but here he could express the very extremes of his personality. It was, in it’s own kind of way, another disguise, one that was designed to intimidate and garner respect.

Magnus fully intended to simply scan the crowd one more time before heading to his destination but almost against his will, he found his eyes drawn to a figure standing by the bar. To say that, as their eyes locked, everything else seemed to fade away, sounded like a cliche but it was undeniably true and beyond disconcerting.

“Now who are you?” Magnus muttered under his breath as his gaze lingered on the extraordinarily tall, dark haired man, completely lost in his wide eyed gaze.

As he shook himself, as if to break the spell, and it struck him that he was in danger of getting distracted and that surely he knew better than to be so captivated by a pretty face. Magnus pulled himself together and straightening his spine forced himself to move, unable to resist a smile and a wink at the man in question whilst ignoring the little voice in his head that was screaming at him, asking him what the hell he thought he was doing.

Walking towards the VIP area pondered on his spontaneous flirtation, clearly he just needed to get laid and who knows if he could hurry up this meeting, maybe the dark haired beauty would still be there. As he approached the roped off area he couldn't resist a glance back at the man, who had now turned towards the bar giving Magnus a quite glorious view of his near perfect behind.

Surely it couldn't hurt to just enjoy the view for a second, Magnus kidded himself, denying the irresistible pull he felt, a truth too uncomfortable to deal with, and it was, to be fair, a spectacular view. One that was soon ruined by a blonde man placing himself right in his line of sight and grabbing his arm to delay him.

Shaking off the offending hand Magnus couldn't help the huff of indignation that escaped his lips as he leant back on his heels slightly, folding his arms across his chest as he focused in on the man in front of him.

It took him seconds to assess the man in front of him, years of practise of cold reading had made the skill almost instinctive. He had dirty blonde hair, long on the top and buzzed short at the sides, muscular in build and subjectively handsome, although in Magnus’ opinion at least, the cocky smile on his lips detracted from his looks massively. Even the unusual smattering of brown in one of his blue eyes did little to catch Magnus’s imagination, although perhaps that was due to his irritation at the fact that the man was currently obscuring a far more interesting view.

“You're Magnus Bane.” It was a statement rather than a question.

“Am I now?” Magnus raised an eyebrow and masked his annoyance with a sardonic smile. Great, just what he needed, a fanboy. The man just laughed, seemingly amused.

“Nice..yeah, you are..I'm Jace Lightwood..” Jace reached out a hand to shake which Magnus just stared at feeling somewhat amused as the man hastily withdrew it. “Ok whatever. Look I know you've just got back but, seriously buddy, ask around...the Lightwoods, we’re good..”

Magnus said nothing but Jace was persistent.

“Yeah, there's me, my sister and my brother Alec. We've just been running short cons but...you know..we’re ready for more...and if you give us a chance man, you’ll be really glad you did..” Jace chuckled, his apparent confidence undermined by the way he ran his fingers nervously through his hair.

“Would I now?” Magnus smiled wickedly.

“Yeah.” Jace crossed his arms resolutely.

“Why exactly?” Magnus couldn't resist asking.

“Well first there's Izzy...she's wicked smart and can charm the birds from the trees..my brother Alec, he's methodical, sees every angle and he always has a plan..and then me...i mean obviously there's all this..” Jace unfolded his arms and gestured to himself, the laughter fading on his lips as he saw how unimpressed Magnus was.

“Ok, ok. Look I know them all, the payoff, the wire, salting the mine. I've done my research and whatever you're planning, and I know you're up to something, I can help..sleight of hand, roping, convincing..I can do it all…”

Jace looked up at Magnus expectantly, and despite himself perhaps, Magnus was somewhat intrigued but one thing was sure, there was no way he was going to be convinced by some cocky twenty something. No doubt, if the Lightwoods were as good as Jace claimed, Ragnor would know all about them and maybe, just maybe, they may in fact be of some use, but God forbid he would make it easy for them.

Magnus couldn't help the wicked smile on his lips as he turned to leave, picturing Jace’s startled expression.

“Wait…..Magnus seriously...just give us a chance….” There was no mistaking the desperation in his voice. Magnus didn't flinch as he walked through the roped off area.

“Please just ask around, Magnus.” It was Jace’s last ditched attempt and Magnus simply raised his hand in a small wave, his back still turned as he moved through the velvet curtains. He certainly would ask around, but it wouldn't hurt for the wannabe-player to learn that Magnus Bane didn't like being rushed

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As ever I love to hear your thoughts...honestly it makes my day...
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it and feel free to guess away at what might happen next...
> 
> Tigs xox


	3. Following the clues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus gets the gang together whilst Jace reacts poorly to rejection and what is Raj up to

“Hey...get me a shot yeah...don't care what..”

Alec glanced to his side to see Jace grab his drink from the platinum haired bartender and knock it back in one swift movement before slamming the glass angrily back on the bar before nodding for a refill.

“So it went that well..” Alec muttered raising an eyebrow.

“You could say that..” Jace grimaced slightly as he knocked back another drink.

“Ok what’d he say?” Alec tried to keep the frustration out of his voice knowing full well that when things went badly for Jace he had to practically drag the story out of him.

“Well that's just it.” Jace turned to look at him, elbow leaning on the bar. “He barely said anything. Hell he seemed to find the whole thing funny..”

“Look…” Alec started to speak

“Don't Alec. Just don't.” Jace slumped back towards the bar signalling for another refill.

Alec had seen Jace _this_ way, too many times. When things got tough his brother had a tendency to shut down and refuse all attempts to discuss things. Whilst it was undoubtedly frustrating, he knew there was nothing for it but to wait until Jace was ready to talk and, in the meantime, make sure he didn't do anything too stupid.

Glancing up he saw Izzy returning and felt himself relax imperceptibly. His sister had an uncanny knack of pulling Jace out of his black moods, which was a skill he had never mastered. Giving his brother a brief shoulder squeeze, which Jace barely acknowledged, he moved towards Izzy needing to give her the heads up before she approached.

“Problems?” Izzy peered around Alec taking in Jace’s defeated posture.

“Yeah..let’s say things didn't exactly pan out the way Jace thought they would..” Alec sighed.

“I can see that..so what happened?” Izzy looked up at Alec, raising one eyebrow slightly.

“I don't exactly know. Apparently Magnus just completely shut him down.”

“You didn't see?” Izzy narrowed her eyes slightly and Alec shifted slightly uncomfortably from foot to foot.

_Well no actually I didn't Iz, to be fair I was still in shock from just how stunningly attractive Magnus is so I had to look away_ …. Yeah like he could admit that to his sister of all people…

“No..there were too many people…” There was no mistaking the sceptical look on Iz’s face.

“Fine..Ok, so we go for distraction..right..” Izzy broke into a grin.

“Yeah..” Alec knew that really there was no other option for now.

“Leave it to me..” Alec couldn’t help but smile at the look on his sister’s face, part determination and part excitement.

“I'm gonna fix this Iz..” He had to even though he had literally no idea where to even begin.

“I know..” Iz replied softly before going to join Jace.

………

“So everything’s sorted for now..” Magnus relaxed back in his seat, stirring his martini with his pinkie finger.

“So what’s the plan..?” Clary leaned forward eager to hear more.

“All in good time my dearest biscuit. First things first, we get settled into the DuMort..” Magnus smiled happily, fully enjoying being somewhat cryptic.

“I still don't see why you need the entire penthouse suite anyway as well as a room..” Raphael grumbled.

“Ah Raphael, that’s why I'm the one who makes the plans, not you..” Raphael simply rolled his eyes in response.

“Ok so how exactly am I going to explain to my staff that the entire top floor is closed off until further notice…” Magnus was fully aware that Raphael, despite being the person who needed their help, was likely to be the hardest to convince, the others having worked with him enough to just trust his judgement.

Raphael Santiago, even though he pretended otherwise, was by nature a worrier and control freak who hated any changes to his carefully thought out routine. It was mainly because of his careful, meticulous nature that he had managed to turn the DuMort from a run down, out of date building to one of the top hotels in the entire of New York. Not that Magnus had expected anything else, which was why he’d worked so hard to convince Camille to sign over the DuMort, even though it was practically on the verge of condemnation, and given it to Raphael to run.

“Hmm...water leak? Luke?” Magnus raised an eyebrow towards Luke who just grinned conspiratorially at him.

“Consider it done..” Luke nodded.

“Good. So all you need do is tell your staff that there will be extensive decorating needed..and to expect people using the service lifts. Oh and while you're at it, why not mention that some of the work will be done at odd hours to minimise disruption to the rests of the guests.” Magnus couldn’t help but smirk a little as he saw Raphael desperately search for a flaw in the plan knowing full well there wasn't one.

“You just want to stay in the penthouse…” Raphael muttered under his breath.

“Of course..and so does Ragnor, Cat, Luke…”

“Fine..” Raphael rolled his eyes and slumped back in his seat crossing his arms petulantly. “If I didn't need your help…”

“Ah but you do…” Magnus teased effectively shutting him down before turning to Luke. “So how quickly can we get things moving?”

“Gimme 24 hours..should have it all in place by then..” Luke replied, his mind clearly occupied with what he had to do.

“So what now?” Raphael asked.

“Now, my friend, we relax and enjoy the party. This is my welcome home do after all..” Magnus grinned wickedly as he stood up and moved over to the balcony to view the club beneath them.

The meeting had taken somewhat longer than expected, a large part of it taken up by Ragnor and Raphael complaining about how long they’d had to wait, which was entirely to be expected. Almost unintentionally to the part of the bar where he'd seen the dark haired stranger, but before his eyes could find their target, Ragnor came to join him, standing silently beside him, arms resting on the balust

“So something interesting happened on the way up here..” Magnus mentioned casually and Ragnor just nodded for him to continue. “Tell me have you heard of the Lightwoods?”

Ragnor paused for a second as if deciding how to answer.

“Hmm, the Lightwoods, eh… New players in town, so I hear. As far as I know they're just into short cons but I've heard good things about them...very talented....why d’you want to know..?” Ragnor turned slightly to look at Magnus.

“Well a certain Jace Lightwood accosted me on the way in here. According to him, I would be a fool not to let them in on whatever we’re planning…” Ragnor barked out a laugh in response.

“Well yes that does sound like him from what I know. According to my sources Jace is the wildcard of the trio, the sister is very charming and sharp as a tack and the older brother is the meticulous one. Are you considering his suggestion?” Ragnor narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at his old friend.

“I'm not sure..possibly...we are one down since…” Magnus’ sentence faded away. There were somethings that simply didn't need saying for Ragnor to understand.

“Hmmm…” Ragnor turned to look at the crowds again. “So what do you want to do?”

“I think maybe it's time to see just how good the Lightwoods are..” Magnus muttered.

“Leave them some bread crumbs..well then let's get the ball rolling..” Magnus just nodded in response before Ragnor left him alone again to head down to the main part of the club.

Magnus instantly returned to scanning the crowd, needing to distract himself from the thoughts in his head. Surely Mr Tall-Dark-And-Handsome would be just what the doctor ordered to improve his mood.

……….

Initially, Alec had kept a watch out for any sign of Magnus reemerging in the vain hope that maybe he could….he could…. oh God he didn't even know what he planned to do. Now his top priority was getting a very drunk Jace out of Pandemonium without causing too much of a scene and scuppering any chances of convincing Magnus ever.

“Well screw him eh..” Jace slurred leaning far too heavily on the bar. “Hey Gretel, be a darlin’ and fill her up..”

Alec managed to catch her eye and shook his head slightly. Gretel simply winked back at him before filling Jace’s shot glass with bottled water and passing it over to him. Jace was so drunk he didn't even notice despite Izzy giggling loudly.

Alec grabbed his sister by the arm and pulled her to one side.

“We need to get him out of here..” He whispered harshly as Izzy struggled to keep a straight face.

Sometimes, Alec thought, he hated being the responsible one. To be fair, Izzy was only tipsy despite having basically matched Jace drink for drink and, had he not been in such a bad mood, he probably would've admired his sisters alcohol tolerance. As it was, he had a headache coming on coupled with the difficult task of convincing a completely hammered Jace that it was time to leave so quite frankly he needed Iz to focus and goddam help.

“Fine..” Izzy pouted. “Watch and learn big brother, watch and learn..”

Alec huffed with frustration as he watched his sister totter over to Jace and begin giggling conspiratorially.

“I rather think you have your hands full with those two..” There was no mistaking the hint of amusement in the man behind him.

“You don't know the half of it..” Alec sighed before turning to see who was speaking to him, trying to hide his shock as he saw it was the same tweed loving man he had seen enter the VIP area earlier.

“Ah well, should you need assistance, Bat over there is rather adept at convincing people that maybe it was time they called it a night…” Ragnor pointed to a tall scowling bouncer over by entrance.

“Um, Ok thanks, but I think we’ll be fine..” Alec tried to take in as much as he could of the man in the hope that it may in some way be of use but apart from the dapper exterior and the fact that he had a British accent, the man's closed expression and shrewd eyes gave nothing away.

“Not a problem...well, if you'll excuse me..” Alec stepped aside to allow the man to reach the bar pretending to turn his attention back to Jace whilst watching him closely.

Alec noted distractedly that Izzy seemed to be having some success with Jace, which was honestly a relief, as he watched the man lean over the bar and catch the bartender's attention.

Alec felt his heart racing as he went to help Izzy settle up the tab whilst trying to take in everything the British guy was saying and doing, knowing this could be the perfect opportunity to find a way to get to Bane. Despite his siblings laughing and joking he managed to pick up the odd phrase from their conversation.

“...to tell Maia...sorry ..missed her…..love to catch up...contact here..ask for Raphael…” Out of the corner of his eye he saw the guy fish out what looked like a business card and whilst he couldn’t see all of it, he did notice that the card was bright, metallic red with ornate black writing. He could just about make out the letters H D and t, the rest of the writing being covered by the man’s fingers.

“Dude c’mon…” Jace leaned heavily on Alec, effectively drawing his attention back to the matter in hand.

It wasn't much to go on, he knew that, but at least it was something, a start if nothing else. As he and Izzy manhandled Jace towards the exit Alec came to a decision. He wouldn't say anything till he was sure, till he’d exhausted every possibility with his research.

“Sorry..” Alec turned to apologise to the Indian guy he had bumped into as Jace swayed dramatically.

The man looked up from his phone.

“It’s fine…” he muttered before rushing off.

…………

Magnus was just about to give up on managing to find the pretty boy again when he caught sight of a distinctively tall figure moving determinedly through the crowds towards the exit and there was no mistaking the way the sight made his pulse race. This time, however he wasn't alone, he was supporting the weight of an apparently drunk blonde man whilst a petite, dark haired woman helped. It was only when the group turned to leave that Magnus recognised the blonde, Jace Lightwood. He dragged his gaze away and spotted Ragnor, talking to the bartender, Gretel, nodding once as he turned round to give him a surreptitious thumbs up

It was not beyond the realms of possibility, Magnus mused, that he may have just significantly complicated things for himself.

……….

The lights of Brooklyn glittered below Magnus in the early morning as he watched the world beneath the balcony slowly begin to awaken. He’d got back from Pandemonium some time ago but the low thrum of anticipation humming through his veins made it difficult to sleep, his brain filled with plans and possible scenarios.

He swirled his whiskey slowly in its tumbler, watching the ice cubes clink gently against each other and reflected on the evening’s events. Everything had gone exactly to plan, everything falling perfectly into place and the familiar feeling of certainty was reassuring. The knowledge that not only was the job a good one, the mark fully deserving what was coming to him, but that he had methodically onsidered every eventuality and there was no doubt that this was going to work.

Tomorrow night, well this evening really, everyone would begin to relocate to the DuMort and soon everything would begin. As he settled down to watch the sunrise over the city it struck him how much he'd missed just being here and felt a tinge of sadness to be leaving the loft behind when he had just returned.

It wasn't just about coming back though, there was more significance to it than that. It was, he realised, the acceptance of something that had crept up on him imperceptibly, that he was finally finding his way back and that he'd moved on from what Camille had done to him. That when he returned to the loft, it would be to his place, not the place so entwined with memories of her. This job was the final sign that he was free of her toxic influence, that the city was his and his alone, that he'd reclaimed it.

It wasn't exactly that he'd been quiet in London. There’d been jobs there, lots of them. In the early days, if he was being honest, they'd been more about showing her what he could do, as if he'd wanted her to see how clever he'd been and realise her mistake and come back. Always with different people, building his reputation, hoping that word would reach her.

Whether he'd been willing to admit it or not, he'd been concerned that by reuniting the old crew it would feel strange, that her presence would be missed, but the opposite was true. This evening had shown him that without her everything had come together more seamlessly than he'd ever known and the realisation struck him that even before she’d left, the cracks had already been there however much he'd tried to deny it to himself at the time.

“You hear that Camille...I'm finally done with you...I'll drink to that.” Magnus raised his glass before taking a drink. It was, he thought, not beyond the realms of possibility that he was more than a little tipsy still, but there was something deeply satisfying about saying it out loud.

For the first time it felt like the truth, like some weight he hadn't even been aware of had been lifted from his shoulders. Hell, for all he knew, the Lightwoods would pan out and maybe they'd even replace her.

If he was honest with himself he wasn't really sure how he felt about that situation at all. When he'd sent Ragnor off on his little mission he'd expected, he didn't known what he'd find out. Jace Lightwood had been cocky and confident and Magnus couldn't help feel a grudging respect for him that he'd got as close as he had. Maybe he'd expected the rest of the trio to be similar, he supposed he had really.

Alec Lightwood had been a shock, a tall, beautiful shock, which was ridiculous seeing as he hadn't even talked to him, but however much he tried to deny it, the undeniable pull he'd felt when their eyes had met had been very real.

It was easy when he'd just been a stranger in a bar, but this new information changed things and he wasn't sure that it was for the best. In fact, he was pretty sure it wasn't, still Magnus was a professional and if, and it was a big if, the Lightwoods proved themselves worthy of the opportunity , he could handle it.

…………..

By five in the morning, Raj finally gave up and realised that the only way he was going to get anywhere was to use the precinct’s resources.

It was still early by the time he reached his desk and fortunately there were very few people around. If anyone questioned him he'd just tell them he’d come in early to sort out paperwork, as it was his last shift before he went on leave. Raj knew he had a reputation for being overly thorough so he had no doubt that people would believe that was exactly the sort of thing he'd do.

Although Detective Vargas had told him to let the Magnus Bane thing go he just couldn't and last night’s trip to Pandemonium had just confirmed his suspicions. He couldn't prove it yet but he just knew something was going on.

Opening up his personal email, he scanned through the photos he’d taken on his phone last night, a collection of shots of the small group of people entering the VIP area, before opening up the facial recognition software and setting it to work. It was a long shot, he knew that, but if there was anything there to find, he was determined to find it.

……….

  
For once, Alec was glad that he always woke up early, irrespective of when he’d actually gone to sleep. Knowing that his siblings would be asleep for hours yet gave him ample time to make sense of what he’d learnt last night, without giving them false hope.

The trouble was he really wasn't sure where to begin. It wasn't like you could just search for red metallic business cards after all and Raphael wasn't a rare enough name to give too much more information, so all that left was three letters.

Alec pinched the bridge of his nose trying to concentrate.

C’mon Lightwood think…

Ok, so assuming that the ‘him’ that the man was talking about was Magnus, he’d basically been saying that he’d be contactable at the place on the card. Alec paced around the makeshift living room trying to piece together what little information he knew.

Alec sat down quickly and opened up his laptop as a thought struck him. Surely it couldn't be that simple. Within seconds the search engine brought up a list of possibilities, Alec scanned down the results. He knew what he was looking for, and if he was right and the H did stand for hotel then it was a fairly safe assumption he was looking for high end, judging by the quality of the the business card.

Narrowing down the possibilities was remarkably straightforward from there, and it was only when he clicked on the link to the website that his theory was confirmed. The Hotel DuMort, high end and extremely popular and, most important of all, managed by Raphael Santiago.

Alec sat back on his chair with his hands linked behind his head, a smile tugging at his lips Unless he was very much mistaken, he’d just found Magnus Bane, but the big question now was what exactly to do with that information.

………

Raj clicked on the first name his search had brought up, Ragnor Fell. To be honest, there wasn't much, only a couple of charges for minor misdemeanours but there was no mistaking from the mugshot that this was the same man he’d seen in Pandemonium last night.

Honestly, it made a kind of sense when he thought about it. It was unlikely that anyone linked to Magnus Bane had any significant criminal past, he was way too clever and there was no reason to expect anything less of those he worked with. A quick internet search didn't really bring up any more information either so whilst this ‘Ragnor’ was certainly a person of interest, Raj really had to draw a line under that particular avenue of investigation, hoping that he'd have better luck with the other two names that’d been flagged up.

Police report wise there wasn't a great deal on the second name, Raphael Santiago, only a sealed juvenile record but an internet search did give Raj more to go on. Turned out that Raphael Santiago had apparently completely turned his life around in recent years. Now the manager of the Hotel DuMort, Mr Santiago was credited with turning the hotel into one of the most popular places in the city. What his connection was to Magnus wasn't clear but, Raj thought, only two possibilities even slightly fitted. Firstly, that Raphael was a potential mark but somehow that didn't ring true or secondly, and far more likely, that somehow Raphael was involved, perhaps providing a base in the hotel for the crew to work from.

The third name was the biggest surprise of them all. When Raj clicked on the name, he was fully expecting to see yet another vague criminal past, what he wasn't expecting, to put it mildly, was a picture of a young Luke Garroway in full police regalia. Luke Garroway had been one of their own and it just didn't make sense, unless of course he was under cover.

It didn't take much research to disprove that theory. From what he could tell from the archives, Luke was quite the hero during his career until, in the late 90’s, he'd been shot in the line of duty. The injury was sufficiently severe that it left him with permanent damage to the left shoulder and effectively ended his career in field work.

Luke had then been recruited for the position of Head of Security for the Circle Group, but his new position hadn't ended well. Within a year, the CEO Valentine Morgenstern, had been successfully convicted of multiple felony charges and the chief witness for the prosecution was one Luke Garroway.

It would appear that once the court case had died down, Luke had attempted to rejoin the NYPD but his application had been denied and Raj guessed it had been due to the fact that, by then Luke was engaged to one Jocelyn Fray, Valentine Morgenstern’s ex-wife and co-witness in the Circle trial.

Raj checked the photos on the phone and compared them to the court pictures. There was no doubt the auburn haired woman was Jocelyn and in a strange kind of way Raj was sort of happy that they'd stayed together. From his research, it looked like Jocelyn had carved out a successful career as an artist since then, a career path her daughter Clarissa had followed into.

Details of Luke’s life since then were sketchy, until a few years ago he opened a bookstore in Brooklyn which was, by the looks of it, highly successful.

Raj leaned back on his chair and held his forefingers to his lips as he stared at the screen trying to make sense of things. He'd gone to Pandemonium in the hope of finding something, anything to convince Vargas he was right. Granted he'd managed to identify several of the people who'd been there to meet Magnus, but he could already imagine what would happen if he took his findings to his boss.

It wasn't enough, not even close. Magnus had met with amongst others, two apparently legitimate businessmen and an artist, one of whom was an ex cop and a highly decorated one at that. Hell, it even sounded tenuous to him, so there was no way on earth Vargas was going to believe him. He needed more, he had to be sure.

“Hey Raj...you're here early…” Raj jumped embarrassingly, he'd been so absorbed in his research he hadn't even heard Alaric approach.

“Finishing up cases?” He asked nodding toward the screen.

“Yeah...something like that…” Raj shrugged,scrambling to get rid of the photos.

It wasn't so much that he didn't trust his partner it was more that Alaric might try dissuade him and Raj had already made up his mind. He knew what he needed to do and he really didn't want anyone to try and talk him out of it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I totally promise that Magnus and Alec will meet next time...
> 
> Anyway I'd love to hear what you think ....
> 
> Xox


	4. Baiting the hook

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The con begins and Magnus and Alec come face to face.

By the time everyone settled down on the oversized sofa, Magnus was almost twitching with anticipation. Granted, he’d expected them to all spend some time exploring the penthouse floor and even he had to admit it was pretty impressive, but the day was swiftly moving on and Magnus was keen to start moving the plan along.

When everyone finally quietened down Magnus stood up and nodded towards Simon who was sat on the floor, lap top propped up on the coffee table. Simon grinned back before beginning to tap away on the computer to get an image to project onto the blank wall behind Magnus.

Magnus cleared his throat dramatically and all eyes turned to him.

“So Ladies and Gentleman, may I introduce to you the reason we’re all here..” Another nod towards Simon and the image became a video of a blonde curly haired man. “This is Samuel Blackwell, our mark..”

As Magnus began to explain, images flashed up on the wall behind him.

“Samuel Blackwell, current CEO of Blackwell Inc. A position, I hasten to add, he inherited from his father, and currently the company are in the process of a major redevelopment project in Spanish Harlem. Blackwell Inc, it would appear, have decided that this is an area that is prime for redevelopment and they fully intend to take advantage and, most importantly, are not going to let the small detail of people having lived there for generations get in the way of their plans.”

Raphael growled under his breath and Magnus turned to acknowledge his reaction.

“Including the lovely Guadeloupe Santiago’s home, or as she’s otherwise known the nicest member of the Santiago family.” Magnus grinned as Raphael huffed indignantly.

“Obviously local people are not happy and have started up a group to try and stop the project and by all accounts, the delay is costing Blackwell Inc a significant amount of money. They can ill afford it, at the present time, having stretched themselves somewhat thin in order to get the project off the ground.

Magnus paused to let what his words sink in before signalling to Simon with a small flick of his wrist. A news article flashed up on the wall, a small piece about a random knife attack.

“Then we get to this. Two weeks ago, one of the leaders of the protest group was left in a critical state following an apparent mugging and knife attack as she returned from her regular shopping trip. Whilst the police have found no evidence of a link to Blackwell Inc, my sources are clear. There is no doubt who was behind it. By all accounts Blackwell are getting desperate…”

“So essentially they've moved toward intimidation and violence..lovely.” Luke muttered in disgust.

“Indeed. It would appear so… Now obviously I've done extensive research and some interesting facts came up. Mr Blackwell senior, it would appear has somewhat of a shady past. Although the company has gone out of its way to distance itself from any form of controversy ,they were in the past closely linked to the Circle group.”

“Daddy dearest..” Clary muttered under her breath.

“You think they still have links…” Luke leaned forward, elbows on his knees.

“I thought that might get your attention...To answer your question, yes I'm almost certain they do but I need to know for definite. There is a reason why Valentine Morgenstern, despite it all, still has quite the life of luxury and influence. Never let it be said, that he’d let the small detail of a jail cell get in the way”

Magnus scanned the group of faces in front of him and was greeted with a sea of determined looks. The fact that Valentine Morgenstern was possibly orchestrating everything behind the scenes, or at the very least was benefitting from Blackwell inc’s activity added even more incentive to bring the company down.

Despite the fact that 18 years ago Valentine Morgenstern had been incarcerated for quite the shopping list of felonies, it hadn't stopped him in the slightest and many of the people in this very room had good reason to despise the man.

“Well that certainly makes things more interesting..” Ragnor muttered.

“So what’s the plan?” Luke asked, eyes glittering with determination. It wasn't a surprise to Magnus. Luke, Jocelyn and Clary probably had the most reason to hate Valentine.

Jocelyn had suffered years of abuse as the wife of Valentine, before she and Luke had been instrumental in his imprisonment, but it had not been without it’s costs. Jocelyn had been left pregnant with Clary and bankrupt, and for Luke it had cost him any chance of regaining his career in the NYPD.

The irony that, because of Valentine, the three of them had been pushed into the life they now had was not lost on Magnus, but slowly and surely they were helping to chip away at Morgenstern’s continued power base.

“Well, since you ask, it turns out we have a few things acting very much in our favour. Firstly, the costs incurred by the company due to the delays caused by the protests aside, the publicity surrounding it hasn't helped with getting further investment..”

“They're desperate for cash..” Ragnor commented relaxing back in his seat.

“Exactly..I strongly suspect even a relatively minor financial hit is likely to lead to the shelving of the project. Secondly, Mr Blackwell is inordinately fond of eating in the DuMorts rather famous restaurant…” Magnus winked at Raphael who simply scowled in response.

“That bastard swans in like he owns the place..” Raphael spat out, not bothering to hide his obvious contempt.

“Clearly not the sharpest tool in the box..” Ragnor grinned.

“Exactly.” Magnus leant back against the wall.

“So…” Jocelyn looked between Ragnor and Magnus.

“You're thinking about the payoff..” Ragnor stated and Magnus winked.

“Precisely. Simple but effective…”

………….

Alec was restless. Granted, he was pretty sure he knew where Magnus Bane and his crew were likely basing themselves, but the problem was he didn't know what to do with that information.

He should tell Jace and Isabelle, well he probably should, and yet…

Well, that was the problem really. His heart told him that keeping this from his siblings was the wrong thing to do, but his head was telling him something else entirely. There was no denying that Jace’s bull-in-a-china-shop approach had failed spectacularly and if he told his brother what he had worked out then there would be no stopping him from going back to Magnus and, in all likelihood, making things even worse.

He was still deep in thought when Izzy emerged looking remarkably cheerful, considering the amount she’d drunk last night.

“Hey..” Izzy sat down next to him and looked at him cautiously. “You Ok? You look..you know, worried..”

“Yeah, no..I..I'm just trying to figure something out.” Alec replied evasively before turning to look at his sister and making his mind up. “Actually maybe you can help me out..”

“Okay..” Izzy answered slowly frowning slightly in confusion. “So shoot..”

“Umm..well I need to go and get coffee..want to come with me?..” Alec shifted awkwardly from foot to foot. Having spent hours this morning debating whether to tell Jace what he'd found out the only decision he'd come to was that he genuinely didn't know what to do for the best. The only option was to speak to Isabelle in the hope that a different perspective helped him make up his mind.

“Right..ok well give me two seconds to get dressed…” Izzy looked at him suspiciously before going to change.

Ten minutes later they were walking towards a coffee shop and Alec still hadn't worked out what to say.

“So you gonna tell me what this is all about then?” Izzy looked up at her brother with her head tilted slightly to one side.

“Ok...so what if I had a pretty good idea of where Magnus Bane was likely to be..” Alec stared pointedly straight ahead as he trudged along, hands firmly in his pockets.

“Oh my God, Alec..you do..” Izzy grabbed his arm excitedly before relaxing her grip slight as realisation started to dawn on her. “Oh.. _oh_..you don’t want Jace to know..”

“I don't know..” Alec mumbled, rubbing his neck distractedly.

“Hmm..OK, right.. let’s sit, get some drinks and then you can tell me everything OK?” Izzy looped her arm through Alec’s as they continued walking.

“Yeah..let’s do that..”

……….

With everyone else busy, Magnus took the opportunity to escape to the penthouse roof garden to collect his thoughts. The cover story for the DuMort had begun and everything was in place, Luke had set up tarps and painting supplies at the entrance to the suite to convince any nosey staff members and was well on the way to sorting out an office. Ragnor was engrossed in extensive research on Blackwell and Simon was working his magic with website generation.

Tomorrow it would all begin, Raphael having informed them that Blackwell had lunch booked in the restaurant.

Magnus took advantage of the relative peace to calm his thoughts. It was a sort of ritual of his to spend at least some time on his own, calmly working his way through every eventuality and getting in the right mindset to continue.

He twirled the rings on his left hand thoughtfully as he went through his mental check list. He’d done all he could for now, from here on in time would tell but he felt ready, prepared and whatever was to come, they’d deal with it.

“Hey thought I might find you out here…” Magnus turned slightly to see Luke joining him.

“Ah you know me too well old friend..” Magnus sighed as he turned back to take in the view noticing that Luke joined him placing his hands on the balcony enjoying the silence as the pair of them simply stood side by side.

“So everything is set then..” Luke was still looking straight ahead.

“So it would seem.” Magnus looked at the serious expression on Luke's face and the slight hint of tension in his shoulders. “Something’s bothering you though.”

“Hmmm….just something I heard. It may be nothing..” Luke shrugged.

“Luke I trust your instincts, I think perhaps you better tell me…”

……….

Izzy sipped her drink thoughtfully as Alec glanced around the coffee shop somewhat anxiously.

“Hey big brother..chill. It’s fine no one can hear us..” Izzy placed her hand on his arm to try and calm him down.

“Yeah..I just..”

“I know, but we need to sort this out without Jace around and I'm not walking around in the rain so..” Alec just huffed in response.

“Ok so...my first thought is, don't you think it was a little convenient how you managed to work it out? I mean the guy who'd been meeting with Magnus just happens to talk to you and flash a business card...I dunno it just…” Izzy twirled a strand of hair through her fingers as she talked, brow scrunched in thought.

“Yeah I know..I thought that too. I mean for someone so careful it was a bit….um..”

“Careless..” Alec nodded in agreement.

“Exactly...I don't know Iz, it feels a bit like a test and if so…” Alec placed his hands on the table palms down.

“If, and it is still a big if, it was a test, that means that Magnus was more impressed than he let on with Jace..”

“So I should tell him…”

“Not necessarily….” Alec looked at his sister somewhat confused. “Ok hear me out..say we're right and it was, in fact, a test, if you hadn't been there would Jace have worked it out..”

“Well no…”

“Exactly.”

“So what the hell do I do ?” Alec glanced down at the table top suddenly finding the patterns of dents and scratches apparently fascinating.

“You check it out..you worked it out..you're the one that ‘passed the test’ after all …” Izzy leaned back and sipped her latte, apparently satisfied with her decision.

“Yeah…you're right….I mean, maybe I’m wrong... so there's no point in telling Jace till we know for sure.” Alec felt himself relax now the decision was made.

“That’s my thinking..and if the opportunity arises, you need to talk to Bane..” Izzy smiled back.

“Wait..what? No...I..” Any tension that had left Alec came back with a vengeance.

“Problem?” Izzy raised an eyebrow.

“I can’t…” Alec took a deep breath to steady himself. Given the reaction he had to just seeing Bane in Pandemonium, the last thing he wanted to do was talk to him on his own, especially not when his siblings were depending on him to not screw it up. The trouble was he could hardly explain that to Izzy. “I mean..that’s the sort of thing you and Jace do..”

“Alec..c’mon..you can do this...and you know maybe we need a different approach. If Bane didn't respond to Jace, maybe we need to try something else. Seriously, you underestimate yourself way too much..”

Izzy reached across the table and placed a reassuring hand on Alec's arm.

“You can do this Alec..You can..”

…………

Alec felt decidedly awkward in his stiff business suit, but as Izzy had pointed out, if he was going to check out the DuMort, it was probably the best chance he had of blending in. So far she’d been entirely right.

The hotel’s plush foyer was milling with smartly dressed business people and appeared that it was a popular place for conducting lunch meetings, which wasn't really a surprise when you considered the excellent reviews of the hotel’s restaurant.

The foyer itself was decorated in classic shades of cream and beige, all clean lines and clever lighting. There were multiple gold sofas and chairs artfully placed around the interior which, Alec supposed, would have looked tacky anywhere else but managed to add to the atmosphere of tasteful opulence.

Carefully selecting a position that afforded an unobstructed view of the entrance, Alec opened his laptop and began to scan down seamlessly blending in with the other suit wearing patrons equally immersed in their screens. Now all that was left to do was wait.

Basing everything on his hunch, Alec had figured that Bane's crew would need time to settle in, so he'd waited a day, and it had paid off. He had overheard staff complaining about the water leak that had led to the closure of the Penthouse Suite, and the disruption of the team of decorators that had been drafted in to repair the damage. Knowing it was too much of a coincidence not to involve Bane in some way, Alec had heaved a sigh of relief, feeling more optimistic about his plan than he had before.

Fortunately Alec didn’t have to wait too long before he saw a pair of familiar figures walk into the restaurant area and be checked off the list by the maitre d. Whilst they were dressed differently, there was no mistaking the older red head and the tweed-loving Brit as they entered the room and Alec could barely keep his leg from jiggling with excitement.

Ten minutes later, when the staff were fully occupied, Alec took full advantage and walked confidently over to the maitre d’s station. He quickly established that the pair were going under the name of Stephen Beale and guest which he could only assume was an alias meaning that the con was already underway. He resumed his previous position and settled down to wait.

The next hour passed ridiculously slowly with Alec spending most of the time trying to work out his next move. It wasn't exactly as if he could approach his targets, if they were mid hustle he would, in all likelihood, ruin the whole thing, so he had little choice but to sit and wait and hope by some miracle inspiration would hit.

Alec was so deep in thought he almost didn't notice the redhead as she walked to the exit. For a brief second Alec thought about following her. Maybe if he could just try and talk to her she might be able to....might be able to what exactly? Well that was the problem really, wasn't it? It went against every instinct Alec had to not have a plan, to not know exactly what he was doing, and unlike Jace, the concept of winging it made him feel unsettled and unbalanced.

Alec realised with a huff of annoyance that he'd been so busy trying to work out what to do that he'd well and truly missed his opportunity to follow the woman, leaving him no choice but to see where the man, the so called Stephen was. He didn't have to wait long.

Soon enough the man emerged, only this time he was talking with a younger man. Alec watched carefully as the pair of them walked to reception and having had a conversation with the receptionist, headed towards the bank of elevators.

_Enough thinking, Lightwood….time to act._

Alec grabbed his laptop and rushed forward as if to try and stop the pair, knowing full well that he would miss them, making as big a show as possible before sighing dramatically and heading towards reception.

“Hi...sorry...I'm Mr Beale’s assistant and I just received a call for him..” Alec gazed doe eyed at the receptionist, running his fingers through his hair in what he hoped was a suitably flustered fashion.

“I'm sorry, sir?”

So the receptionist didn't know the name. Alec filed away that snippet of information.

“Oh yeah..silly me...I meant the British man you were just talking to...I tried to grab him but I just missed him and….”

“I'm sure he won't be long...I think he's just returning Mr Chang’s wallet..”

“Oh thank god...he's been waiting for this call for ages so…”

“Room 426 sir...I hope you catch him..”

“Great, thanks..”

  
………….

  
A sharp series of knocks on the door shook Magnus out of his thoughts. He smiled a soft smile to himself as he checked the room of the hotel suite making sure it was perfect before moving towards the entrance.

Opening the door slightly, he checked out the two men there suspiciously.

“Mr Mike Chang?” Ragnor asked seriously

“Yes, why?” Magnus crinkled his brow and opened the door a bit further.

“We found your wallet..” Samuel Blackwell replied, blatantly peering around the door to check out the suite. Magnus couldn’t help but smile to himself, seeing how the mark’s interest was piqued already.

“You did?” Magnus patted down his suit jacket dramatically before opening the door wider and gesturing the pair to enter. “Well gentlemen, it seems I owe you a debt of gratitude. Come in, please..”

Magnus stifled a grin as Samuel practically bowled him over in a bid to investigate further, closely followed by Ragnor, who handed over the wallet, still obviously stuffed with money.

“May I offer you a drink...it feels like the least I can do. Honestly, I didn't think there were any honest men left in the city..” Magnus chuckled lightly, before fixing drinks for the men and offering them a seat on the sofa, both of which were gladly accepted.

“Well...sorry I didn't catch your names…” Magnus said.

“Oh how rude. I'm Stephen Beale..pleased to meet you” Ragnor extended a hand which Magnus shook firmly.

“Samuel Blackwell..” Blackwell continued to look around analysing the suite.

“Well here, let me give you some reward for your honesty….” Magnus began and noted how instantly Blackwell’s eyes lit up, before Ragnor raised a hand to decline the offer.

“No need dear boy..just doing one’s civic duty..” Ragnor laughed jovially before being interrupted by a loud knocking on the door which definitely got Blackwell’s attention.

“I'm sorry gentlemen..if you'll excuse me for two seconds..” Magnus rushed towards the door, giving the appearance of shielding the person on the other side from view, but not achieving it.

Without words, Luke offered a suitcase to Magnus who opened it to check it’s contents, making sure that Blackwell could see the bundles of cash from his position, before closing the case and nodding sharply at Luke. Closing the door, Magnus tucked the delivery under the side table, before returning to his guests.

“So what exactly is it that you do, Mr Chang?” Blackwell asked abruptly before Magnus had a chance to speak.

“Oh, investments mainly, stocks, shares that sort of thing. Nothing too exciting, independent consulting mainly..” Magnus replied evasively.

“Hmm, you seem to be doing well out of it..” Blackwell mumbled to himself.

“Well, yes..I’ve been...fortunate..” Magnus shifted uncomfortably. “Actually speaking of, if you won't accept a reward, maybe I can show you my gratitude in another way. I have a … well, a deal coming up, so I can invest $500 on your behalf. It’s honestly no problem for me and should things pan out then any profit will be a thank you for your honesty..”

Ragnor glanced across at Blackwell and shrugged.

“There’s really no need..but if you insist..” Ragnor smiled.

“I do..and thank you again gentlemen. Sadly I must…” Magnus indicated towards the laptop sat on the desk.

“Oh, of course..well Mr Chang it has been a pleasure.” Ragnor stood up and shook Magnus’ hand firmly. Blackwell merely grunted in response before following Ragnor and shaking Magnus’ hand.

“Indeed. Well, hopefully I will be able to repay the favour, it will honestly make me feel better. If you gentlemen are able to return here..hmm let me see..” Magnus made a show of reaching for his phone and scrolling through his diary. “Hmm shall we say tomorrow at 7pm?”

.………

  
There was no doubt that Alec’s heart was racing almost out of his chest as he saw Ragnor and the other man emerge from the room deep in conversation.

Alec shoved his hands in his pockets, hands balled into fists, it was now or never. Improvisation was not his strongest suit, but for once, he knew he had to play it by ear. If they had any chance of convincing Magnus to let them join his crew, this was it and, like it or not, it was down to him.

_You can do this, Alec...you have to do this_

Forcing out any doubts, Alec stepped out of the alcove he'd been hiding in and made his way down the corridor, only knowing the room number and a name. There was no other explanation, the man with Ragnor just had to be the mark and Mr Chang had to be Magnus Bane. He had to be right, either that or he was about to make a grade A fool of himself.

He focused on his breathing to calm his nerves as he knocked on the door.

It felt like a lifetime before the door opened and Alec’s heart began to pound quickly again but for very different reasons. The man standing in the doorway was wearing a business suit and glasses with his hair neatly slicked back but there was no doubt it was Magnus Bane himself.

“Oh, hello Alexander...well this is a pleasant surprise. I think perhaps you’d better come in.” Magnus broke into a smile as he opened the door wider and indicated for Alec to enter.

Alec hunched his shoulders as he entered the room, pushing his hands further into his pockets. Even dressed down as he was there was no denying that Magnus was breathtaking and Alec could feel himself blushing furiously as he entered. What was it about this man that rendered him incapable of logical thought?

“Wait...how...how do you know my name?” The thought only struck him when Magnus had moved passed him and leant back on the desk watching him carefully.

“Oh I know a lot about you Alexander..relax darling, let's have a little chat shall we..why don't you take a seat..” Magnus raised an eyebrow in amusement.

Alec felt his face grow hotter as he scanned the room, there was a chair behind the desk but that would mean moving past Magnus and the only other option was the bed which was something Alec didn't even want to think about.

“I'm good.” Alec folded his arms in front of himself defensively.

“Suit yourself..” Magnus shrugged as he pushed himself off the desk and moved towards the mini bar before turning to look at Alec over his shoulder. “Drink?”

Alec shook his head, desperately trying to ignore the long lines of Magnus body as he leant down to fix himself a whiskey before resuming his position by the desk.

“So then, where shall we begin…” Magnus swirled his drink slowly in his hand. “I have to say I'm somewhat impressed you worked things out so quickly, and I have to tell you even more surprised that your brother isn't here..”

Magnus looked at him appraisingly through narrowed eyes and Alec felt his shoulders stiffening under the intense scrutiny.

“Unless of course he doesn't know you're here.” Magnus smiled knowingly, seeming to recognise instantly that he’d hit the mark. “Oh that’s it, isn't it..he doesn't know…”

“I didn't want to get his hopes up..” Alec replied gruffly

“Yes, well blondie did seem extremely keen to work with me. Honestly, Alexander, I'm flattered..” Magnus laughed lightly. “So you're here to convince me that I should give you all a chance, I presume. I wonder how you plan to do that.”

Alec squared his shoulders and took a deep breath to steady his nerves. In retrospect he wondered if it would've been sensible to bring Izzy with him at the very least.

“You've already started your con. I would guess the mark is the man I just saw leaving with your roper, and judging by what I’ve seen, my best guess would be you’re planning a payoff scan.” Alec stated plainly, hoping his voice sounded more confident than he felt.

“Very good Alexander..I admit it, I’m impressed.” Magnus leant back on the desk and crossed one ankle over the other. “So you saw the mark. Tell me about him?”

Alec looked up to see a playful smile on Magnus lips.

“Fine. Ok, so from what I can tell he’s a business man, sharp suit, custom fit making him likely a CEO. I did recognise him from somewhere, so I’m quite sure with a little research I’d be able to give you a name.”

“Continue.” Magnus dipped his head slightly.

“From his body language, I would say confident bordering on cocky and likely a risk taker.”

“Well that’s most business men..”

“Yes, but this one seemed overly sure. I would guess he didn't start up the business likely inherited his position, he didn't strike me as someone who’s worked his way to the top..”

Magnus uncrossed his ankles and sat up straighter chuckling softly, making Alec frown in confusion.

“Ok, Alexander, that’s enough. I admit it, I'm impressed, not just a pretty face are you?” Seeing Alec roll his eyes, Magnus’s expression seemed to soften slightly. “I'm sorry. I’ve been doing this a while and I'm rarely surprised anymore, that’s all..”

Alec found himself smiling back despite himself, unable to look away from Magnus.

“That’s good...so..”

“One question Alexander, why me?” There was a slight hint of vulnerability to Magnus expression for a second but when Alec looked again it was gone, making him wonder if he had imagined it.

“I….” Alec felt himself struggle for words. “Because you’re the best, because it seems like it’s more than just the money for you...I...you only go after those who deserve it.”

As Alec blurted out the last few words once again he saw something flicker across Magnus face before he schooled his features back into the perfect, calm mask once again.

“Well you know what they say, you can't con an honest man.” Magnus shrugged.

“That's what Jace always says. He’s wrong of course, and you know that too”

“Really?” Magnus raised his eyebrow, eyes glittering.

“Really. Anyone can be conned, the crooked, the greedy, the desperate and the downright ordinary. That's why you're so careful with who you choose, why there's a pattern to it.”

“I do, do I? Maybe you think too highly of me. So you've studied my work then, how diligent of you. Is that why you want me to give you a chance?”

“Partly..”

“So why else…”

“We have our reasons.”

“Which you won't tell me. I'm wounded, Alexander, that you don't trust me.”

“Should I?” Alec met Magnus gaze with determination and suddenly the atmosphere seemed to shift somewhat, filling with a tension that hadn't been there before.

“Probably not, no...well, I have to say you are full of surprises.” Magnus laughed again and looked down as he swirled his drink in his hand effectively breaking whatever spell had been there.

“Is that a good thing?”

“I’m not sure..” Magnus murmured thoughtfully before looking up, meeting Alec’s gaze again. “We shall see..”

“So..you’ll give us a shot then..” Alec felt the relief flow through him.

“Hmm….I tell you what Alexander, I’ll make you a deal. I’ll give _you_ a shot...if it works out then, well then, we’ll see about your siblings, eh?” Magnus raised his eyebrow in a silent challenge and Alec felt his breath catch in his throat, unable to find the words.

“Problem?” Magnus smiled softly at him.

“I...my family..we’re a team...I”

“That’s my offer Alexander. No more no less..” Magnus looked at him quizzically. “Think about it..and if you're interested then meet me in the alley around the corner at 8pm.”

Magnus began to stand up.

“It has been a pleasure Alexander, truly..but…”

“Oh yeah..of course..I should…” Alec indicated towards the door, before spinning rapidly on his heel to leave.

Just as he was about to leave, Magnus spoke again.

“I hope to see you later Alexander” Even the sound of his voice made Alec shiver slightly. Shaking his head gently, Alec walked to the door unable to look back.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it's all systems go...I wonder how that's gonna work out. 
> 
> As ever thank you for taking the time to read this and I love to hear what you think...come and shout on me on tumblr if you like @the-burning-tiger.
> 
> So next time.....does Alec take up Magnus offer? How could he resist? And what exactly has my favourite detective Raj been up to?
> 
> See you then xox


	5. Wheels in motion...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus and his crew prepare for the next stage of their plan and the Lightwoods make a decision about Magnus' offer.
> 
> Meanwhile what is Raj up to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again...I'm sorry this is a bit later than planned but I managed to come down with the cold of doom (yes I am that pathetic).
> 
> Anyway I hope you enjoy..on a side note turns out our mark likes to racially stereotype and use slurs so be aware but it is only reported second hand with suitable disgust at his attitude.

Magnus leant back against the desk and thoughtfully sipped his drink, mulling over what had just transpired. Granted, he had expected the Lightwoods to turn up at some point and whether he wanted to admit it or not had hoped that perhaps it would be Alexander who would make an approach, but nonetheless, he felt a little off kilter.

Alexander Lightwood was not at all what he'd expected and, for someone like Magnus who prided himself on being able to read people, it was unsettling at best. It was true that Ragnor had told him that Alec was the organised member of the trio, so it wasn't exactly that he'd thought he would be brash like his brother Jace, but there was something more to the man than he'd been anticipating.

Yes, it was true that Alec was clearly a planner, organised and astute but there was almost a vulnerability there, an innocence which had been a surprise to say the least.

Magnus huffed lightly as he moved to refill his drink. If there was one thing that made him uneasy, it was suprises. That and the fact that for once he’d come across someone who seemed remarkably complex to work out.

He’d fully intended, if and when the Lightwoods appeared, to give them all a chance but something had told him that if he was to stand any chance of unlocking the conundrum that was Alexander Lightwood, it would be better to separate him from his siblings. Why he felt the need to do that he wasn't quite sure, or perhaps didn't want to admit it to himself. There was no doubt that there was something about Alec that was magnetic but it wasn't just his obvious good looks, there was something more, something deeper and Magnus wasn't at all sure that he was ready to even address that reality.

Magnus stretched and shook his head slightly, as if by moving he could somehow physically dislodge the conflicting thoughts in his head. He'd always been the sort of person who was reluctant to dwell on the past and he wasn't prepared to start now. It was done, the ball was well and truly in Alec's court now, and time would tell if he rose to the challenge.

.………

As soon as Izzy saw Alec enter the flat she practically ran towards him.

“You're back early, which means you found something out. You were right, weren't you? Oh my God, you found Bane.” It was only when she paused slightly that she seemed to notice the somewhat dazed expression on his face. “Alec, are you Ok?”

“Yeah..yeah..I'm...look is Jace here..” Honestly, Alec wasn't sure how he was feeling, a mix of trepidation and excitement really. Magnus Bane, it would appear had the ability to confuse him more than anyone he'd ever met.

“Yeah, he's on the laptop..Alec, you're worrying me..”

“Izzy I'm fine..honestly.” Alec turned to his sister, giving her what he hoped was his best reassuring smile. “Look it's just..it'll be easier to tell you both together.”

“Okay…” Izzy gave him a very sceptical look before turning and following him as he began to stride purposefully into the living room.

As the both entered Jace looked up, briefly acknowledging Alec’s return.

“So I've been looking into possible contacts for Bane and I think I have some ideas…” Jace frowned slightly as he squinted at the computer screen.

“Jace...look can you just leave that for a second.” After all that had happened Alec wasn't at all sure how Jace would react. He'd hoped that by talking to Bane he'd have got a clear answer either way, he hadn't expected the offer that he'd been given and, in many ways, accepting felt almost like a betrayal to his brother.

“Alec.. c’mon bro, I'm onto something here...I know if I can just talk to him again I…”

“Jace. Stop. Please.” Jace looked at Alec with a mix of confusion and irritation. “Jace, I found him..”

“You..what?...how..” Jace shifted his chair round to face Alec

“It doesn't matter. Look I found him and I spoke to him and..”

Before Alec had a chance to finish his sentence Jace jumped to his feet excitedly.

“You did? So what did he say...are we in...it's all sorted right..” Jace had broken into an expectant grin which soon faded when he saw the expression on Alec’s face “Wait..he said yes right...please tell me he didn't say no again..”

Alec turned away slightly running his fingers through his hair nervously.

“Jace, it's not that simple..I..look can you both sit down so I can explain everything..” Alec ignored the puzzled expression on his siblings faces as they both went to sit down, Izzy on the sofa and Jace perched on the arm rest.

“Alec what the hell is going on?..” There was no mistaking the hint of irritation that was creeping into Jace’s voice. Clearly Izzy heard it too because she reached across and rested a reassuring hand on his thigh.

“Look, let's just give Alec a chance to explain..” Jace looked at her before nodding sharply and crossing his arms in front of him. “Ok. Let’s just start from the beginning, eh?”

Alec took a deep breath before explaining what had happened, how he'd come to the hotel and spotted what was going on and ended up talking to Magnus.

“So...he listened right?...he's gonna give us a shot…?” Izzy asked as Jace was just watching him through narrowed eyes.

“Yes and No..Ok, so he made me an offer..he’ll let me in and if everything goes well then…” Alec sounded almost apologetic as he spoke. “I tried to get him to include you guys. I told him we were a family..but…”

“Just you…” Jace repeated carefully and Alec nodded sadly in response. “And if it works out then he’ll meet us…”

“Yeah that’s about it…” Alec mumbled.

“and you said..?” Izzy asked.

“I said I’d think about it...I ...I wanted to talk to you guys first..”

“Why the hell did you do that?” Jace snapped uncrossing his arms and throwing his hands forward.

“Fine..I’ll..” Alec began to speak as Jace stood up sharply and began pacing.

“That’s not what I meant Alec...Why didn't you just say yes straight away...I mean what if he changes his mind…” Jace stopped his pacing and glared at Alec.

“Wait what? Look I know how much this means to you and I didn't..I mean, I don't..” Alec put his hands behind his back and rubbed his fingers together to try and calm down.

“Yeah it does..and this could be our only chance..” Jace sighed, seeing the confused expression on Alec's face. “Look. Not gonna lie, it isn't what I'd hoped for but I get it..he's cautious. I respect that, I really do. This is our way in..”

“So..”

“Go find him and tell him yes, you idiot..” Izzy grinned and Jace pointed to her and nodded in agreement.

  
………

By the time Magnus reached the penthouse it was already a flurry of activity. Simon was sitting on the floor typing away happily on his laptop and Jocelyn and Luke were busy at a table by the window.

Caterina had stretched out on the sofa and was laughing at something on her phone.

Magnus strode purposefully over to Luke and Jocelyn who were carefully constructing ID cards and earned a sharp slap on his hand from Jocelyn when he tried to reach for one.

“Perfection takes time Magnus and patience is a virtue.” Jocelyn told him sternly, wagging a finger in his direction.

“I have many virtues my dear, but patience is not one of them..” Magnus pouted.

“Don’t I know it.” Jocelyn grinned back before resuming her work.

“They'll be ready.” Luke said.

“I don't doubt it.” Magnus smiled before moving over towards the sofa.

Caterina looked up at him as he approached.

“Ragnor says to tell you..you owe him big..he's thinking vintage port.” Caterina grinned as she passed over her phone to show him the stream of text messages from Ragnor all a variation on the theme of “this guy is an ass.”

“So he's still with Blackwell then..not a fan, I take it?” Magnus chuckled

“You could say that..he mentioned something about wanting to shower with bleach…”

Magnus nodded before crouching down and peering over Simon’s shoulder.

“Hey boss..” Simon’s eyes were glued on the screen watching what looked like a live feed in an office. “Clary, you have an audience.”

The screen changed as the camera swung round to show Clary winking back at him.

“She can hear you?” Simon nodded enthusiastically before reaching in his ear and pulling out a tiny earpiece. “Cool eh...and see that pin..mini microphone..”

“I'm impressed Sheldon..” Magnus smiled as Clary frowned at him on the computer screen.

“She says to tell you she can hear you too..and you know my name..” Simon admonished him lightly.

“I know Scott but where’s the fun in that.” Magnus teased and Clary rolled her eyes before entering what looked like a server room and chatting away to one of the techs.

“Anyway…” Simon huffed. “That’s the camera planted…”

He pointed to the screen as it closed in on Clary placing the mini camera casually on the wall affording a full view of the room.

“And they won’t find it..”

“Would you?” Simon produced a tiny camera and placed it on the table with a somewhat smug grin.

“Fair point..and the other bits..” Magnus raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, two secs….That’s good Clary..now back to work……..hey rude….she says to ask you why she gets the boring stuff to do..” Simon chuckled.

“Boring but essential, biscuit..”

Simon laughed at something Clary said and Magnus just looked at him.

“You really don't wanna know.” Simon minimised the live feed and pulled up the web browser. “So we have facebook and LinkedIn all sorted..”

Magnus leant forward and scanned through the pages.

“I admit Simon, I'm impressed.” Magnus murmured as he looked through the pages.

“You used my name..” Simon positively beamed back.

……….

“So, what’s he like then?” Izzy asked, her eyes glittering with excitement.

“He’s..ummm….he’s impressive...quite magical..” Alec flushed as the words just slipped out of his mouth making Izzy snigger and Jace roll his eyes. “I mean..you know..I..ok, whatever..”

“Relax bro..” Jace grinned.

“Easier said than done..” Alec muttered.

On the one hand, he was glad that Jace and Izzy had taken Magnus’ offer so well but on the other, he knew now that everything was down to him. Then there was Magnus himself. It seemed that Alec…calm, controlled Alec...who always thought things through and planned things carefully, lost the ability to think rationally around him and that was something he couldn't admit to his siblings.

“Seriously though it'll be fine, buddy. I mean obviously he was impressed with what you said to him so far and I know you. If anyone can pull this off, it's you..” Jace patted Alec's arm reassuringly.

“Thanks” Alec looked at his brother. “I guess I just worry..well I'm not like you guys you know..”

“What cocky, overconfident..” Izzy teased Jace who simply pulled a face in response.

“Nah,she’s right though..” Jace rolled his eyes at the smug expression on his Izzy’s face. “Yeah don't let it go to your head, Iz. Look, my approach didn't get us anywhere. Magnus Bane is no fool. He sees something in you and even if you don't fully believe in yourself, trust me, we all do okay?”

“Yeah, ok..” Alec shrugged.

“Great. So thats sorted. Ok so you're meeting him at 8 right?” Izzy asked and Alec nodded in response. “Good well that gives us enough time to sort out what you're gonna wear.”

“Hey hold on Iz..jeez it’s not like it's a date..” Alec grumbled as Izzy started to drag him off to his room.

“Dress to impress big brother. You wanna make a good impression with the rest of the crew don't you?” Izzy looked up at him and batted her eyelashes, making Alec roll his eyes.

“Fine. Whatever, although I don't see the point..”

“I know you don't. Which is why you need me.” Izzy grinned.

……….

A relative calm had descended on the penthouse as everyone was fully occupied in their tasks and Magnus hummed contently as he watched his friends work with their normal calm efficiency.

The peace was soon disturbed though by the rather loud arrival of Ragnor, grumbling under his breath as he dramatically threw himself onto the sofa next to Caterina.

“Well hello Ragnor. Nice subtle entrance there, my friend.” Magnus teased and Caterina chuckled softly earning a grumpy look from her husband.

“Oh Rags you know I love you, mon petit Chou..” She smiled as Ragnor huffed indignantly.

“Oh it's fine for you people. You got to spend the day with each other. I, on the other hand, had to spend the afternoon with _that_ man..” Ragnor pouted as he sat back on the sofa with Caterina stroking his arm gently.

“That bad…” Magnus smiled.

“Well let's put it this way, I shall thoroughly enjoy taking that man’s money. He is utterly unbearable.” Ragnor grinned.

“So…” Magnus prodded gently.

“Right. Yes. Well he’s certainly interested already. Apparently those ‘wet-backs’, his words not mine, are bleeding him dry with their ignorance and backward ways and their reluctance to embrace change.” There was no mistaking the contempt in Ragnor’s voice.

“Lovely..” Caterina murmured.

“Exactly. However, he is two of my favourite things, desperate and strapped for cash. Oh and he is also foolish enough to think he can take advantage of you, Magnus, which amused me greatly. I do believe he thinks you are legit as apparently ‘those Asians are always good at maths’ and I'm not even joking.” Ragnor shuddered slightly as he spoke.

Magnus rolled his eyes before walking over to the minibar and pouring out a whiskey on the rocks.

“Your sacrifice is duly noted..” Magnus grinned as he passed the drink to Ragnor.

“Glad to hear it.” Ragnor pouted before noticing Magnus checking his watch and rolling his eyes. “Oh I'm sorry, am I keeping you from something?”

“Actually, with any luck, you are…” Magnus murmured tapping his fingers on his right hand together distractedly.

“Magnus are you ok?” Caterina looked at him with a somewhat concerned expression on her face. Magnus stilled his hand instantly knowing that she would recognise his nervous tick.

“What? Yes, yes I'm fine. I just need to pop out for a second. I'll explain when I return.” Magnus smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring manner, not at all convinced he had succeeded looking at the glance Cat and Ragnor exchanged. Honestly, those two knew him far too well.

The truth was he felt a mix of anxiety and excitement. Hopeful that Alec would accept his offer, and simultaneously concerned that getting to know him better would make it nigh on impossible to maintain a professional distance.

He felt some sort of strange connection to the younger man and despite his better judgement, he felt compelled to work out exactly what it was, after all Magnus Bane did not like unanswered questions.

………..

Alec ran his fingers nervously round the collar of his navy button down. He was early, almost embarrassingly so, but with the decision made, he was eager just to get things moving.

Yes he was anxious, almost wired, but that was understandable under the circumstances. It all felt so momentous, as if the future of his siblings and himself was resting heavily on his shoulders. It was nothing to do with his almost visceral reaction to Magnus Bane at all, or at least that's what he tried to convince himself.

Magnus Bane was a master conman, the last thing he needed was some ridiculous fanboy. He'd been given a shot to help with the score and the last thing he intended to do was to ruin everything. Determination coursed through his veins, he was going to prove that Bane was right to trust him and anything else that he felt, he would squash down to the deepest part of his soul. He’d spent a lifetime of repressing his feelings and closing himself off from his emotions was almost instinctive by now.

Alec checked his watch. Fifteen minutes had passed while he'd been pacing round the corner from the DuMort, mentally preparing himself for what was to come. At 7.55pm, it was time to move.

“Now or never, Lightwood.” He muttered under his breath as he squared his shoulders and strode purposefully towards the designated meeting spot, hoping that he looked a hell of a lot calmer than he actually felt.

He'd almost convinced himself that everything was under control when he turned into the alley and froze on the spot.

Magnus was leaning against the door frame of the service entrance examining his nails closely. He looked so different from how he'd looked even earlier in the day, the conservative suit replaced with skintight jeans and a wine coloured shirt open to practically the waist and adorned with a collection of necklaces. His hair was now spiked up and sparkling instead of groomed and sleek and there was no mistaking the dark kohl lining his eyelids, despite his face being partially shaded.

Fortunately, Magnus hadn't noticed him yet because he was struggling to find enough air for his lungs, the effect was so devastating.

_Get it together, Lightwood_.

Alec took a deep, shaky breath and rubbed his sweaty palms against his jeans, using every last bit of his willpower to move forwards with at least the semblance of confidence.

As he approached, Magnus looked up noticing his arrival, his face breaking into a warm smile.

“I'm glad to see you accepted my offer Alexander.” Magnus pushed himself gracefully off the door frame to greet him.

“How d’you know I'm not here to turn it down?” Alec teased hoping that he hadn't let his nerves show.

“You've gone to a lot of trouble to look good, just to say no.” Magnus tilted his head to the side coquettishly and surveyed Alec carefully. “Call me arrogant, but I don't think you're here to turn me down.”

Alec felt himself blush and was more than grateful for the dim lighting.

“Ah Alexander, I think you are sharp enough to know what an opportunity this is. Not to blow my own trumpet, but I'm perfectly aware I have quite the reputation.”

Alec chuckled softly unable to drag his eyes away.

“No..you're right. I….”

Magnus lifted his index finger up almost touching Alec's lip and he felt his breath catch.

“Say no more Alexander.” Magnus seemed to catch the confused expression on Alec's face and lowered his hand, rings glinting in the moonlight, before surveying his fingers closely that were now painted with dark glittering polish. “Such a shame I'll have to remove this tomorrow don't you think, but I just couldn't resist. It rather makes me feel more like myself.”

The last part of the sentence was almost said as an afterthought and Alec thought he saw Magnus tense slightly for second before it was gone.

“Hmmm, you look good..I mean different..you know from earlier..I mean..” _dammit_ Alec ran his fingers through his hair trying to regain some self control and praying that Magnus wasn't regretting his decision.

“Well, I do like to mix things up my dear.” Magnus laughed, a light tinkling laugh, before leaning in to whisper almost conspiratorially to Alec, his proximity making the hairs stand up on the back of his neck. “Anyway, seeing as our cover story is the restoration of the penthouse to it's former decorative glory I thought this look would be suitable for the interior designer supervising the renovations don't you think.”

“Yeah. I can see that.” Alec muttered shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Glad you approve.” Magnus grinned before moving to the door. “Well, shall we? I rather think you'll like the penthouse. My dear friend Raphael manages the hotel and what he lacks in charm he more than makes up for in his sense of style. Honestly, the place is exquisite and I simply couldn't resist using it as a base.”

Magnus nodded towards the now open door and Alec felt himself hesitate a little, feeling somewhat like he was standing on a precipice waiting to leap off.

Fisting his hands in his pockets he stepped forward and through the doorway. He knew he was being overly dramatic but it somehow felt that his life was about to irrevocably change and he wasn't at all sure if it was for the better or worse.

  
………..

Raj waited a few minutes to check the coast was clear before appearing from his hiding space behind a dumpster. Leaning back against the wall, he scanned through the photos on his camera. He recognised Bane of course, but the younger man he’d never seen before, or at least he didn't think so, although there was something familiar about him.

So far he'd established that he was right in his hunch about the DuMort being a base of operations. He’d had his doubts again when he'd tracked Luke to seemingly legitimate bookshop, but it was only when he'd started following him that his worries had dissipated. Luke Garroway had led him straight to the hotel and, more suspiciously as far as Raj was concerned, to the back entrance.

It hadn't taken much from there to establish that there had been a suspicious sounding water leak on the top floor, leading to it’s closure. Raj was convinced that that was where the crew were staying.

He sighed as he flicked through the photos. It’d had been so easy at first, everything had seemed to fall into place, but now he felt like he’d hit a brick wall. Sure he had photos of Bane meeting people and a stream of people entering the service entrance of the duMort but none of it could really be seen as evidence of wrongdoing and getting more was increasingly difficult.

He’d tried sitting in the DuMort foyer, but it was nigh on impossible to get photographic proof inside the hotel’s walls without being spotted. What made it even more frustrating was that he’d seen Ragnor Fell talking to someone who he felt sure was the mark earlier that day, but he had no way of getting evidence. Granted, he’d managed to get a few shots of the pair of them as they left but it was hardly damning.

It wasn't like he could approach the hotel either and set up surveillance. Firstly, because he was almost certain that Raphael Santiago was involved in whatever was going on, but also because he was trying to do this off the books.

Realistically, his only chance was to wait until the sting went down and try and catch the crew red handed but that in itself brought other difficulties. How was he supposed to know when that was even happening?

Raj looked up at the roof of the hotel and seeing the lights on in the top floor, tried to push down his frustration. There had to be a way to see what was going on in there. It was his only chance.

It was only when he was glancing around the surrounding buildings that the idea struck him. If he could watch out from a neighbouring roof top maybe, just maybe, he’d see something. The one advantage that he had was that whoever had designed the penthouse had included a large roof garden and had a penchant for floor to ceiling windows. It wasn't ideal but it would have to do and at least he could use his police credentials to commandeer the use of a roof space.

As he scanned about looking for a potential surveillance spot, something unexpected caught his eye. There was a flash of light glinting on a roof behind him, more importantly on a roof that was in prime location for his needs.

When he looked again there was apparently nothing there but he knew he'd seen something and every instinct he had screamed at him that he needed to find out what the hell was going on.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I hope you enjoyed that...as ever I love to hear your thoughts and ideas....
> 
> I'm hoping the next chapter will be up next week but sadly circumstances may get in the way....I'm really hoping not....but I'll do my best.
> 
> As ever I'm on tumblr @the-burning-tiger if you want to say hi...
> 
> Hugs xox


	6. Joining Forces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec meets Magnus crew and Raj makes a surprising discovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so first of all...I am so sorry this is so late..life, I'm afraid well and truly got in the way.
> 
> Anyway, I hope better late than never..x

Magnus couldn't resist glancing at Alec out of the corner of his eye as they stood in the elevator. He was standing almost rigidly straight hands clasped behind his back and he reminded Magnus of a soldier standing to attention. God that man was beautiful.

“Alexander, relax.” You didn't have to be astute to sense the waves of anxiety rolling off Alec and if he was honest, it was starting to make Magnus a little nervous as well.

“I'm fine.” Alec muttered frowning slightly.

“No, you're not.” Magnus turned to look at Alec who met his gaze for a second before glancing down. “They're good people, kind people. You have no need to worry.”

Alec glanced up at Magnus through his eyelashes and Magnus’ breath hitched, which was utterly ridiculous.

“Look, I know I can be a bit much but…” Magnus started to speak before Alec replied. “Alexander look at me.”

“No. I..look I just don't want to…” Alec shook his head roughly before meeting Magnus’ gaze with determination. “I won't let you down.”

“I know.” Magnus replied softly. “Alexander, I don't give just anyone this sort of chance. I need you to understand that. That I see something in you..”

Magnus reached out and and placed his hand lightly on Alec's arm. Alec glanced down at the hand and then his eyes flicked back up to meet Magnus’, his face flushed and lips parted slightly. God those eyes, those beautiful hazel eyes, it would be so easy to get lost in them and Magnus couldn't look away.

The ding of the elevator door opening broke whatever spell they'd been under and Magnus felt like he could breathe again. This man, this impossible man was affecting him in ways that, after all these years, shouldn't be possible and it left him feel off kilter and vulnerable in a way that was unsettling at best.

Magnus cleared his throat and rapidly tried to restore his facade of confident flirtation, feeling sure that somehow Alec had seen through it already.

“Well my dear, after you..” Magnus waved a hand towards the door and Alec nodded stiffly before stepping out. 

………

Alec had never been more relieved in his life than when the elevator doors opened. Whilst he knew that the nickname ‘high warlock of grifting’ was only used in jest, the way he reacted to even just a simple touch on the arm, it wouldn't surprise him in the slightest if Magnus had some sort of magical powers.

As he stepped out of the elevator he struggled to regain his self control, something which seemed to be increasingly elusive whenever Magnus was near. hopefully having other people around would at least go some way toward calming his racing pulse.

He paused in the hallway to the penthouse, which was currently smothered in tarpaulins and painting supplies, unsure of how to proceed. He could hear the sound of voices and laughter ahead, the relaxed nature of it all helped him catch his breath for what felt like the first time in ages.

“Time to meet everyone Alexander.” Magnus smiled before leading the way forward and opening the double doors to the main living area of the suite with a flamboyant flourish.

Alec was greeted with a sea of faces turned to look at him, all of whom he recognised from the night in Pandemonium. 

“Alec Lightwood. Good to see you again.” Ragnor rose to his feet and stepped forward to greet him, the warm smile on his face reassuring Alec somewhat. “I do hope you managed to get those troublesome siblings of yours home intact.”

“Yeah..no it was fine.” Alec supposed he should be surprised that Ragnor knew his name, but honestly, Magnus always seemed to be at least two steps ahead so it wasn't really a shock.

“Glad to hear it. Nice to see you worked out my little puzzle so quickly, I'm starting to regret not making it more of a challenge.” Ragnor laughed.

“It wasn't that easy..” Alec smiled somewhat cautiously back.

“But you guessed that it was a test?” Magnus raised a questioning eyebrow.

“I suspected as much..” Alec shrugged his shoulders in what he hoped was a nonchalant fashion and tried very hard not to blush at the pleased expression on Magnus face.

“You'll have to watch this one Magnus. Seems like he's got your card marked already.” Caterina joked as she joined Ragnor. “Seeing as no one here seems to have any manners, I'll introduce myself. I'm Caterina, Ragnor’s better half but please, call me Cat.”

Caterina nudged Ragnor playfully in the side as he huffed indignantly and Alec felt himself liking her immensely already.

“Cat, honestly, I was just getting to that. Some people have no patience..” Magnus rolled his eyes.

“Says you.” Catarina teased back and there was a snort of laughter from the people sitting by the table as Magnus held his hand to his chest as if wounded.

“Anyway...Alexander Lightwood, this is Caterna Loss, who I would say is one of my closest friend but now I'm not so sure..” Caterina giggled as Magnus winked at her. “Word to the wise, never play her at cards. That woman has won more money at poker than should be possible.”

“Well one of us at least should make an honest living..” 

“Nursing not good enough then..” Magnus grinned.

“Doesn't pay enough.” Caterina fired back.

“Fair point…However, you do volunteer for free at that clinic of yours so it's entirely your own fault my dear”

Alec watched the back and forth between the pair with amusement, it reminded him of the way he and Izzy spoke to each other and was strangely comforting.

“Nice to meet you Alexander.” Caterina pointedly turned to Alec and extended a hand which Alec shook. “I take it you're joining us?”

“Umm..yeah…and it's just Alec.” Catarina nodded in response.

“Ahem.” Magnus cleared his throat effectively drawing the attention back to him. “This is Ragnor Fell, roper extraordinaire. Whilst he may seem somewhat eccentric, you can learn a lot from him, I know I did..”

“He's being nice to me..why’s he being nice to me?” Ragnor mumbled to Cat.

“Don't get used to it old man..” Magnus teased back.

“Hmph, that's a fine way to talk to the man who taught you everything you know..” Ragnor grumbled and Magnus shook his head. “Eccentric...really…”

Ragnor extended his hand and Alec shook it firmly.

“Hi. It's good to know your real name rather than thinking of you as Stephen Beale.” Ragnor raised an eyebrow. “Um, the name you were checked into the restaurant under.”

“He's a sharp one alright..” Ragnor smiled at Magnus before turning back to Alec. “Good to see your reputation appears to be deserved.”

Alec shrugged, slightly unsure of how to respond and not feeling entirely comfortable with compliments, whilst Magnus smiled back happily.

“Over there at the table...being very antisocial if you ask me..are Luke and Jocelyn.” Magnus indicated at the two people huddled over their work.

“Two seconds…..” Jocelyn replied before standing up and dragging Luke with her.  
“Sorry about that, just at a critical point but we’re ok now ‘till Clary gets back. Nice to meet you Alec……Lightwood, yes?”

Alec nodded while Jocelyn and Luke seemed to exchange a look so quick that if he hadn't noticed Magnus looking at the pair through narrowed eyes he would've sworn it was his imagination. Soon enough the pair came over to join them.

“Good to meet you, Alec.” Luke smiled warmly as he extended his hand before giving him a hearty handshake.

“So Alexander, this is Luke Garroway. Anything you need this man can find for you, I swear it's magic.” Magnus leaned in a little to whisper the last part almost conspiratorially and Alec felt an involuntary shiver run through him.

“And yet they call you the high warlock..” Luke joked, the corners of his eyelids crinkling as he laughed. Here was a man who clearly smiled often, thought Alec and he found himself instantly warming to the other man.

“Hardly seems fair does it?” Magnus shrugged, the mischievous grin not leaving his face.

“That's what I always say..” Luke mumbled at Jocelyn in mock indignation.

“Oh shush..” Jocelyn batted her husband lightly on the arm. “Just ignore these two Alec, they've known each other way too long. I'm Jocelyn by the way.”

“I was getting to that..” Magnus pouted and Jocelyn just rolled her eyes. “Jocelyn here is an incredible artist, you should see her work. It just so happens she's also equally adept at forgery so…”

“Nice to meet you.” Alec was starting to find all the introductions a little overwhelming but was more than grateful for the warm greetings from everyone.

“So everything going to plan?” Magnus turned briefly to Luke. 

“Yep we’re good. Just need Simon to work his magic when Clary gets back..” Luke replied.

“Ah which reminds me. Last but by no means least…” Magnus lead Alec over towards the coffee table where a dark haired bespectacled man was tapping away on a laptop. “This is Sheldon, master of all things technical..”

The man looked up seeing the confused expression on Alec's face and rolled his eyes at Magnus.

“I thought…” Alec glanced back at Luke before looking at Magnus.

“It's Simon and he knows that…” Simon pouted at Magnus who just shrugged in response. 

“Don't ask Alec. It's just a thing they do..” Jocelyn explained, looking with amusement at the two men.

“Well that's the introductions all done..so down to work I think..” Magnus seemed to switch from jovial and friendly to determined and all business in a heartbeat. If he was honest, Alec was relieved at the change in tempo and the fact that he now had something else to focus on.

…………

Raj scanned down the list of buzzers in the building doorway until he came to the one for the building supervisor and pushed the button. The intercom crackled into life after a short delay.

“Yes..” the voice on the end was slightly grumpy.

“Sorry for disturbing you, Sir. NYPD could you come to the door please.”

A few minutes later a slightly paunchy middle aged man with noticeably thinning hair arrived at the entrance.Raj flashed his badge and the man opened the door.

“So I guess you're the relief squad. Fine, you better come in. I guess I need to sort out another key.” The man seemed remarkably unphased by a police officer turning up on the doorstep but Raj decided it was probably better playing along rather than admitting he didn't have the slightest idea what the super was talking about.

“Yeah something like that. So I need access to your roof.” The man shrugged as if that was obvious before leading the way to the elevators.

“Well I guessed as much. Top floor down the corridor. The door should be open. I'll see if I can organise some more keys though, unless you lot are happy to share.”

“New keys would be useful thank you sir.” This conversation was getting a little surreal and Raj couldn’t quite work out what was going on. Was it possible that Vargas had listened to him and set up a low key surveillance outfit just in case? Whilst that would make sense of his current situation, it didn't explain why she wouldn't just tell Raj that.

“No problem. So, must be someone important your chasing. I mean it's not everyday you get an international surveillance team.” The man looked up at Raj expectantly before shaking his head at the blank expression on Raj’s face. “Fine, ok I get it. Probably classified or something.

Raj just nodded tersely in response.

“Yeah well..need anything? Give me a shout.” Raj stepped into the elevator as the super turned to leave.

Finding the door to the roof space with ease, Raj hesitated for a second before opening it, unclipping the safety strap on his gun holster just in case. The conversation with the super had been confusing to say the least, but one thing was sure, the answer to his questions lay beyond this door and standing here hesitating like a rookie was getting him nowhere.

Raj opened the door as quietly as he could and stepped through, senses on high alert.

………

Now that everyone had settled down to discuss their upcoming plans, Magnus could take advantage of the distraction to fully observe Alec. 

Since the conversation had strayed into more familiar territory, Magnus noted that some of the tension had left Alec’s shoulders and it had been replaced with a new confidence as, if planning were somehow his safe space.

There was something mesmerising about watching his face scrunched up in concentration as he took on board all the information that was being thrown at him with apparent ease, as if filing it away for future reference. 

The worst part was that Magnus knew he was straying into dangerous territory, that the fascination he felt when looking at Alec was utterly unprofessional but it was nigh on impossible to resist.

Magnus glanced around the group of people in the room. They were more than work colleagues, they were his family and he was more than grateful for the warm welcome they afforded Alec.

As he looked around he caught Luke’s eye and nodded surreptitiously toward the door leading to the roof terrace, making him raise a questioning eyebrow. Of all the people he'd expected to be cautious of Alec, Luke and Jocelyn were probably bottom of his list but there was no mistaking the look the pair had exchanged when Alec arrived.

One thing was sure, there was something that was concerning Luke and Magnus needed to find out what it was.

Magnus grabbed his phone from his pocket dramatically. 

“Now if you'll excuse me for a moment I just have a few details to take care of.” Magnus rose gracefully and moved towards the balcony before turning one last time “oh and Alexander, don't believe a word they tell you about me...especially if it concerns Peru!”

Magnus chuckled to himself at the confused expression on Alec's face before disappearing onto the roof terrace.

It wasn't long before Luke joined him and he'd managed to sort out a few things in the interim, so the time wasn't wasted.

Magnus leaned on the balcony taking in the nighttime bustle on the streets below. The pair of them simply stood in silence for a while.

“So are you going to tell me what's bothering you about Alexander or are we going to pretend that everything's fine?..” Magnus stared out at the streets palms resting lightly on the balcony wall, rings catching the light.

“Ah, so that's why you wanted to talk to me..” Luke laid his hands palms down on the balcony edge mimicking Magnus stance.

“Amongst other things yes.” Magnus turned slightly, eyeing Luke’s profile carefully.

“Hmmm” Luke gripped the wall inclining his head to meet Magnus’ questioning gaze. “Fine. Look it's probably nothing…”

“But…”

“Well it's just...what do we really know about him?” Luke asked seriously.

Magnus turned to look out at the city below again.

“I see. Well from what Ragnor tells me, Alexander and his siblings are quite the up and coming stars and from what I've seen myself I would tend to agree.” Out of the corner of his eye Magnus saw Luke nod tersely. “But I think, old friend, there's more to it than that…”

Luke sighed deeply before continuing.

“Ok so let me just say this first. I trust Ragnor as you well know and he's rarely wrong about this sort of thing and, to be honest, from what I've seen so far Alec seems….well I like the guy...it's just..”

Magnus turned back to look at Luke and waved his hand for him to continue.

“I knew some Lightwoods once. When I worked for Valentine.” Luke’s shoulders slumped slightly.

“Yes, Maryse and Robert. I remember.” 

“They had a son and I'm pretty sure his name was Alec..” Luke held Magnus gaze steadily.

“Oh.” Magnus breathed out feeling his shoulders tensing somewhat. 

Maryse and Robert Lightwood were names he was well aware of. Back in the day the pair of them had been practically Valentine's seconds-in-command and yet they had somehow managed to escape prosecution, by all accounts due to a sudden change of heart and a willingness to turn states evidence. 

In all his many years of research their names had never reappeared and to all intents and purposes they seemed to have severed all ties with the Circle Group.

It was possible, Magnus mused, that Alec knew nothing of his parent's past, after all he would've been only around 7 or 8 at the time of the trial and that was even supposing he was indeed Maryse and Robert's son.

“There was a daughter as well, as I remember…” Luke continued breaking Magnus’ thoughts.

“And another brother..” Magnus added thoughtfully. The more he heard the more it seemed likely that Luke’s suspicions were correct, although what that meant he wasn't really sure and why it hadn't crossed his mind before was something he didn't even want to think about.

“Not as far as I know. Not unless he's a lot younger. Why ?” Luke turned his back to the balcony wall, looking back into the penthouse.

“There’s three of them. Alexander, Isabelle and another brother Jace. He's the one who found me as it goes.” Magnus turned mirroring Luke's posture, watching through the window as Alec interacted with the others, his face a picture of concentration.

“Then I must be wrong.” Luke's voice was a mixture of relief and a hint of confusion. “Unless….”

Magnus inclined his head while raising an inquisitive brow.

“Look I'm not sure, but I did hear that Maryse and Robert took in the Herondale boy. Hell, they probably felt they had to after…” Luke let the words dangle in the air, both of them aware of what had happened.

“Hmmm. It seems I may have made a mistake here..” Magnus murmured under his breath.

“Not necessarily…” Luke rested a hand casually on his arm as if to hold him back, making Magnus look at him cautiously.

“Ok, so hear me out. Presuming that Alec is the son of Maryse and Robert, which is by no means certain at the moment. Do you honestly think that they'd approve of their oldest son’s lifestyle?” 

Magnus thought carefully about what Luke had said. It seemed unlikely to say the least from what he knew of Maryse in particular that she would have any part in her eldest child running short cons. She would, he was fairly certain, think it was beneath him and letting down the Lightwood name.

“I take your point. It seems unlikely…” Magnus replied.

“Doesn't it?”

“So…” The only thing that made sense to him right now was that somehow the siblings were estranged from their parents. The difficulty was, he genuinely wasn't sure if that was just wishful thinking.

However much he tried to deny it, there was something about Alexander Lightwood that had crawled under his skin, breaching his defences. What that was exactly he wasn't sure but it was certainly more than his undeniable good looks. 

Magnus thought back to the first conversation they'd had and how Alec had been so adamant about choosing marks carefully. It wasn't unheard of for Magnus to be wrong about people but it was very, very rare and even in those cases there had, if he was honest, been a simmering uncertainty hovering at the back of his mind which for whatever reason he had decided to ignore.

Which begged the question why didn't he feel that same level of doubt about Alec? Because he really didn't. Despite this possible new information he still felt that there was an innate goodness in Alec. 

The difficulty was what if he was wrong? Was he prepared to risk the others on a hunch, to risk his family? Because that was realistically the only way to think of the people in the penthouse. What he needed right now was to hear what Luke thought, not only because he was an excellent judge of character but also because whatever his opinion was, he wasn't the kind of man who would sugar coat it to spare Magnus’ feelings.

“So I think there’s more to this than meets the eye.” Luke folded his arms and leant back against the wall. “Let's just assume that Alec is indeed who we think he is, the big question is why is he doing what he's doing?”

Luke paused for a second, a pensive look on his face before continuing.

“Maryse and Robert can't know what they’re doing, it doesn't fit. I mean I knew them, far better than I’d like if I'm honest, and there's just no way. Which means something happened in that family that drove them apart.”

Luke nodded seeming satisfied with his reasoning.

“Like for example finding out what happened to the Herondales..” Magnus muttered.

“That's one possibility..”

“It would explain why Jace was so driven to work with me…” Magnus nodded thoughtfully before noticing the puzzled expression on Luke’s face and continuing. “Alexander told me he’d seen a pattern in my work.”

“Oh..that’s..” Luke scrambled for words, knowing as well as Magnus how careful they'd been to make their intentions difficult to read.

“Clever, astute, slightly disturbing. Yes to all the above..” Magnus couldn't help the slight smile that tugged at the corner of his lips.

“I’m starting to see why you were so impressed with Mr Lightwood.” Luke chuckled, lightening the mood slightly.

“Indeed. So the question of course is what now?” Magnus shrugged his shoulders slightly.

“Ok the way I see it, if Alec knows the full story he and his siblings would be perfect allies.” Luke replied pragmatic as ever.

“Hmm” Magnus examined his fingernails closely.

“So we do what we do best. We watch and wait. I don't see there’s an immediate danger.”

“I think perhaps it would be wise to keep Mr Lightwood nearby don't you?” Magnus looked at Luke his eyes glittering dangerously.

“Couldn't agree more”

…………

Ragnor was in the middle of regaling Alec with a rather epic story about one of Magnus’ early cons when the man himself rejoined the group.

“So that's why Magnus Bane is now banned from Peru…” Ragnor finished with a flourish of his hand and a rather triumphant look at Magnus which Alec couldn't help but laugh at.

“In my defence I was only 17 at the time.” Magnus pouted as he threw himself dramatically into an armchair.

“Age is not an excuse for the pirate thing….” Ragnor retorted and Magnus poked a tongue out in response.

It was hard to imagine Magnus as anything but the confident, flamboyant man he knew but Ragnor painted a picture so vivid of a younger version that was adorably vulnerable and impulsive. While everyone was laughing, Alec tried to sneak a surreptitious look at Magnus but instead managed to catch his eye and for a second he saw something there, something more than the carefully controlled persona he'd seen before. 

“Well, I think that's more than enough talk of my disreputable past.” Magnus spoke firmly and it was as if Alec could see the shutters physically come down. “Back to the matter in hand. We have about 24 hours before a certain Mr Blackwell returns so I think we have a long night of planning ahead.”

Magnus was met with a chorus of theatrical groans.

“Strap yourself in Alec it's gonna be a long night..” Caterina giggled conspiratorially next to him, making Magnus roll his eyes. “Well honestly Magnus, can you not even let the poor man settle into his new room first..”

“Wait, what?” Alec felt his head spin. Staying in the DuMort hadn't even entered his brain and he certainly hadn't prepared for it.

“Oh sorry, Alec. I just kind of assumed….ignore me.” Caterina patted Alec’s arm reassuringly.

“Actually Cat. I think that's a fine idea.” Magnus leaned back in his chair tapping his fingers together.

“Ummm ok..” Alec rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. Ordinarily he planned for every eventuality but this hadn't even crossed his mind and the thought of living in such close proximity to Magnus was unsettling at best. “I..I didn't think..I.”

“No problem darling, but it would be better don't you think?” Magnus had leant forward a little and was watching him intently.

“I guess…” and therein lay the problem. It did make sense, perfect sense. Everyone in the room apart from him was more than au fait with Magnus’ methods and Alec knew he had a lot to catch up on. He closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath calming his nerves and when he opened his eyes, he met Magnus’s questioning gaze with a new determination. “Actually that makes sense, I guess I have some catching up to do.”

Magnus beamed happily back at him and there was no denying the butterflies Alec felt in his stomach.

“Ok! Well I guess I better go and get my things. I didn't exactly plan for this...so..” Alec tried to sound casual with his pulse racing as Magnus looked intently at him.

“Hey, I can grab some things for you if you like..I have to go and get some bits, so it's no bother..” Simon supplied helpfully, seemingly oblivious to the slight tension in the atmosphere.

“Ah perfect…” Magnus smiled and then seeing the expression on Alec’s face turned back towards him. “Problem?”

“Umm...no..that's ..yeah …” Alec shook his head slightly. “I'll text Izzy and tell her. She can pack some things so..yeah..”

“Izzy?” Simon glanced between Alec and Magnus, a slightly confused look on his face.

“His sister. Very pretty and very fierce by all accounts..I'd watch yourself Sheldon..” Magnus joked and Alec felt himself relax a little.

“Oh, ok!” Simon looked a little nervous and Alec smiled at him in what he hoped was a reassuring manner.

“She's not that bad. Anyway, she'll be expecting you but just a quick warning she will try and grill you for information..I'll tell her to behave.” Alec chose not to add that it was extremely unlikely that Izzy would listen but nonetheless, Simon seemed to relax.

“Great. Well that's all sorted then. So back to business.” And once again, Magnus switched back to his serious persona.

…………

Raj crept onto the roof space as quietly as he could, immediately spotting someone sitting on a chair behind a large camera on a tripod. The figure was hunched over and hooded making it difficult to work out much more. Just as the door closed behind him, it made a loud scraping noise which made the figure spin round rapidly as Raj cursed under his breath.

He found himself staring cautiously at a blonde-haired woman who returned his inquisitive look with equal intensity, neither of them apparently knowing what to say. In the end, it was the woman who spoke.

“Sorry, you startled me. I'm guessing you didn't expect to find someone on your roof.” The woman smiled gently as if trying to placate him, but Raj couldn't help but feel something was a little off.

Granted the woman looked harmless enough and there was nothing threatening about her posture. Her voice was soft and accented, British he was pretty sure.

“I'm guessing you're wondering what I'm doing here? I suppose it looks somewhat suspicious but there’s honestly a very reasonable explanation,” the woman continued as Raj just paused, waiting to hear what she had to say for herself.

As she turned back towards the camera equipment she waved her hand towards it. “I know it looks high tech eh...I'm working on a project..nighttime aerial photography. It takes a lot longer than you’d think you know..the light has to be exactly right…”

Raj paused for a second taking in her appearance, there was an edge of anxiety there that only seemed to confirm his instincts. The super’s words came back to him, he'd been certain that there was some sort of police surveillance going on, so why would this woman lie and more importantly why she was clearly taking photos of the DuMort. 

“Cool..hey, can I see the photos..” Deciding his best bet was to play along, Raj made his way towards her, interested to see how she would respond.

“Oh gosh no...I take multiple shots and stitch them together, so honestly they look pretty bad at the moment..” The woman shifted slightly in her seat.

“No really..I'd like to see them. I'm sure I'll get the idea..” Raj decided to push a little further.

“I'm sorry no…”

“No. I'm going to insist.” Raj reached for his police badge, all pretence of friendliness dropped. “You see ma’am this is a police matter.”

As Raj displayed his badge he wasn't sure what reaction he was expecting but one thing was certain, the woman bursting into relieved laughter wasn't one of them.

“I'm sorry ma’am I don't see this is a laughing matter..” Raj began, only to be stopped by the woman holding her hand up.

“No sorry..I didn't...look wait a second.” Raj felt himself tense as she reached into an inside pocket, his hand instinctively reaching for his gun. “Hey relax. I'm just getting my ID.” 

Raj nodded cautiously.

The woman flipped open the leather wallet in her hand to display her own badge.

“I know this is a police matter.” The woman laughed. “DI Lydia Branwell, City of London Fraud Squad. Now I know why I'm here, but what I'd really like to know is why are you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...that happened...*waves hello to Lydia*
> 
> Next time the con continues....
> 
> I'm hoping to update a little earlier but as things are still pretty manic here....either way I promise to update as soon as possible.
> 
> As ever would love to hear what you think..either here or catch me on tumblr @the-burning-tiger
> 
> Tigs xox


	7. The roles we play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the con begins in earnest will Alec rise to the challenge...?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again...so chapter 7 here we go...we're getting more into the con itself and what are Raj and Lydia up to?
> 
> Hope you enjoy

Raj stared in disbelief at the woman in front of him before tentatively reaching out to grab her ID.

“So…” The woman, Lydia apparently, asked calmly.

Raj shook his head slightly to clear his thoughts. Surely it couldn't be a coincidence that Lydia was here.

“Ok, so that looks legit but…” Raj’s natural caution caused him to hesitate.

“Fine. Check me out then, wouldn't expect anything else. Hell you can bet I'm going to do the same. No offence.” Lydia crossed her arms firmly.

“None taken. Wouldn't expect anything else.”

“Good. Then we’re agreed. So that still doesn't answer my original question..” Lydia watched him carefully, her eyes slightly narrowed.

“Ok, so say you are who you say you are.” Raj decided to bypass his reasons for being there for a second, hoping to get some more information first. “That still doesn't explain what an British police officer is doing on some sort of surveillance mission on a New York rooftop. Pretty sure I would've heard something about that..”

Lydia shifted uncomfortably in her seat, clearly Raj had hit a nerve.

“Ok, so full disclosure..” Lydia sighed heavily in defeat. “I'm..well..not exactly...officially sanctioned to be here, you could say..”

“So if I were to call your office to check up on you..”

“Which you’re more than welcome to do by the way. I’d just rather you didn’t mention where you found me thats all.” Lydia shifted her gaze back to the DuMort, looking slightly uncomfortable.

“Care to explain why?” Raj leaned back against the roof wall glad that, for the moment at least, he'd managed to divert the conversation from himself.

“I asked first.” Lydia met his gaze again.

“My city, my rules.” Raj shrugged.

“Americans.” Lydia muttered under her breath as she reached down beside her and grabbed the thermos flask before unscrewing the lid. “Fine, ok. But only seeing as we’re getting nowhere here..Tea?”

“No thanks..” Lydia rolled her eyes as she poured herself a drink.

“So..” Lydia began cautiously swirling her drink in it’s plastic mug before taking a quick sip. “Hmm, where to begin. Ok, so have you ever had someone who you just know is guilty but you can never quite catch them..”

Lydia looked up and Raj nodded slightly, waiting for her to say more.

“Well Ok then. So for the last few years there’ve been stories, rumours I guess you could say, about this one guy pulling jobs all around London. Seriously clever scams, that for whatever reason never got reported, only whispered about in certain circles.” Raj nodded again as Lydia continued. “And whenever anyone talked about them, the same name cropped up.”

“Magnus Bane.” Raj murmured.

“Magnus Bane.” Lydia smiled happily at him. “You know him..”

“There are rumours here too..” Raj conceded, unwilling to give any more information.

“Guy gets around.” Lydia muttered, seeming to relax a little. “Anyway, so I may have heard that this Bane guy was returning to New York and…”

Lydia waved her hands towards the camera.

“You decided to follow him.”

“Pretty much, yes. Everyone seems to be, oh I don’t know, sort of scared of the guy and well..you know what, he’s only human and humans make mistakes, so..” Lydia looked expectantly at Raj.

“So you want to be the one to bring him down.” Raj confirmed.

“I do. I just...look the guy’s smart ok, so if I’m honest it’s a bit of a relief that the NYPD are also interested. I'm guessing that's why you're here right?” Raj nodded, reluctant to say more just yet.

“Look I’ve got some good info so far. Maybe you could talk to your CO and...look, I can help.” There was no mistaking the fire in Lydia’s eyes as she looked at Raj, making him shift nervously .

“Ok, so about that..” Raj began and Lydia’s eyes widened as the realisation dawned.

“They don't know you're here..” Raj winced.

“Not exactly..no..” There was no point in pretending anymore, Lydia was obviously smart enough to work it out for herself. “I got kinda warned off..”

“You too..” Lydia confirmed with a relieved looking smile.

“Pretty much.” Raj relaxed a little.

“What is it about this guy?..” Lydia muttered.

“I really don't know…”

……..

Alec lay flat on his back staring intently at the ceiling, fingers tapping lightly on the bedspread beneath him. It was late in the evening, or more accurately, very early in the morning and realistically he should be asleep by now.

The trouble was his brain was swimming with all the new information that had been thrown at him, so getting any sleep seemed highly unlikely.

Before the evening had started he'd been worried about letting his siblings down more than anything, and now things seemed to have gotten significantly more complicated.

If he was honest things hadn't gone even slightly the way he'd expected. Not at all. Where he'd been prepared for a group of organised hard nosed criminals, he'd instead been introduced to a warm and friendly collection of, what appeared to be, genuinely kind people. Ordinarily Alec found himself feeling somewhat awkward in social settings but as the evening progressed he found himself relaxing and even enjoying himself, and that in itself was unsettling.

Now not only did he have to concern himself with not disappointing Jace and Isabelle but also everyone he'd met that evening, each of them in their own way accepting in a way that Alec wasn't entirely sure he deserved.

Pushing his hair out of eyes, Alec chuckled to himself at the shellshocked expression on Simon’s face when he returned, this time accompanied by Clary, Jocelyn's daughter, who apparently he'd bumped into on the way out of the hotel.

The stream of text messages from his siblings certainly explained a lot, with Izzy describing Simon as ‘kinda nerd hot’ and Jace’s questions about Clary explaining the redhead’s apparent irritation.

The rest of the evening had sped by, filled with planning and more planning. Magnus Bane, it would appear, was nothing if not thorough, insisting on checking and double checking everything. Alec was more than impressed by his meticulous approach.

Alec rolled out of bed pulling on a pair of sweatpants and a tshirt, both black and somewhat ratty. It wasn't exactly unusual for him to feel like this, restless and out of place, but for the first time he wasn't sure entirely what to do about it. Ordinarily he would go out for a run, the adrenaline of exercise helping to clear his thoughts, but somehow the idea of sneaking out of the DuMort in the middle of the night felt like the wrong thing to do.

The main room of the penthouse was dark and still as he crept in there, only the reflection of the street lights below casting shadows through the large windows. Alec padded softly to the bar area fetching himself a glass of wine. Whilst he wasn't usually a big drinker, he hoped that perhaps on this occasion the alcohol would help still his overactive mind.

It felt odd standing alone in this room which just a few hours earlier had been filled with such vibrant people, and as he paced his eyes drifted over to the patio door leading to the roof terrace. Fresh air, that's what he needed right now.

As he stepped through the doors to the garden space, a movement ahead of him caught his attention. Taking a few steps forward he saw the silhouette of someone standing by the terrace wall. Magnus Bane stood lit by the moonlight glass in hand gazing out into the city.

………

Now that everyone had gone to bed for the night Magnus had time to think. Really think. The evening had gone well, everything falling into place exactly as it should and Alec had fitted in like a missing puzzle piece and yet..

Magnus leaned on the wall of the terrace sipping the last of his wine. If there was one thing that left him unsettled it was when things didn't add up properly. He thought back to what Luke had told him and it made total sense that Alec was indeed Maryse and Robert's son, the evidence, although coincidental, was way too compelling. Then there was Alec himself, everything showed him to be straightforward and dependable . A man concerned with family but more than that, someone who seems to have his own strong moral code.

Magnus thought back to their first conversation, how Alec had been so concerned about his selection of marks, that they deserved (if that was even the right word) what was coming.

From what he knew of Maryse and Robert, they were self serving at best and, as had been made blatantly obvious in the aftermath of Valentine's trial, had a knack for self preservation.

The only explanation was that somehow the Lightwood children had cut all ties with their parents but was it possible that Magnus thought that because it was what he _wanted_  to believe. What it was about Alec that made him want to trust him he wasn't sure, but there was no mistaking that he felt a connection that went way beyond physical attraction.

Magnus Bane was not a patient man, his brain constantly worked at a mile a minute and yet he knew that this was a situation that needed to be handled carefully. Much as he wanted to tackle Alec with what he knew and demand answers, he was well aware that was the wrong approach to take.

Magnus sipped thoughtfully on his wine. He'd always considered all the possibilities in any situation and much as he didn't want to, he had to consider that perhaps Maryse and Robert knew exactly what was going on. Alec had told him he'd seen a pattern in his work so it was sadly possible that the Lightwoods had been sent to infiltrate and bring down the man who was a constant thorn in Valentine's side.

The sound of the doors opening softly behind him roused him from his thoughts and Magnus almost laughed when he realised who it must be.

“You can join me if like Alexander.” Magnus didn't even look over his shoulder and smiled softly as he imagined the look of surprise on Alec's face.

Realistically there was no one else it could be. Ragnor and Cat would be fast asleep by now and when Ragnor slept nothing short of world war 3 was likely to wake him. Luke, Jocelyn or Clary would've instantly joined him and, as far as he could tell, Simon was physically incapable of staying silent for more than 30 seconds.

Magnus sensed his hesitancy before the almost soundless footsteps moved towards him. Glancing to his side he noticed Alec standing stiffly resting a wine glass between his hands on the wall.

“Sorry..I…” Alec took a deep breath before continuing “I didn't mean to disturb you. I just..”

“Couldn't sleep?” Magnus tilted his head to take in Alec's profile

“Yeah. Something like that..” Alec smiled, one hand reaching up to rub the back of his neck.

Magnus hummed gently in response, feeling simultaneously unsettled by Alec's proximity and also strangely comforted.

“Nervous before the big day eh?” Magnus glanced back at Alec as he spoke, subconsciously moving closer.

“What..no..just making sure I have everything right.” there was no mistaking the tensing of Alec's shoulder as he spoke.

“Alexander..,” Magnus spoke soft while turning to face Alec, one hand still resting on the wall. As their eyes met he found it increasingly hard to look away, as Alec turned mirroring his position, the two of them so close now that it would be easy for Magnus to simply close the distance. Magnus frowned slightly, concentrating on resisting every part of him that was screaming to move forward. He swallowed thickly before continuing.

“It’s okay to be nervous you know. As long as you don't let them control you, nerves are a powerful thing, they give us an edge, make us react faster and better. Nerves are a good thing.”

Alec simply looked back, eyes lowered and the air between them seemed like it was full of electricity. Alec licked his lips and it felt like there was a physical pull towards him.

All sense of time was lost as Alec stared back, as if mesmerised. Unconsciously Magnus had slid his hand along the wall and as his thumb brushed against Alec’s, It was enough to make him jump as if he'd been shocked.

Alec seemed to snap back into reality stepping back, face flushing.

“I should...yeah...leave you to it, I guess..” Alec shuffled uncomfortably and whatever had been there was gone in a second. “But thanks ...I mean, for the advice..”

Alec turned sharply, before marching briskly back into the penthouse.

Magnus shook his head in disbelief and turned back toward the city.

What the hell am I doing? The thought echoed through his head as he noticed Alec's wineglass sitting on the wall.

………

“So here’s the earpiece. Tiny eh...I managed to reduce the size myself.” Simon handed off the device with an unmistakable look of pride on his face.

“Okay...umm yeah, it's really small.” Alec smiled uncertainly back as he fitted the ear piece.

“Oh sorry yes..Magnus suggested it. Something about you knowing the exact time to arrive. So I guess you guys have got a code word or something…” Simon, it would appear was always enthusiastic about everything as he was practically bouncing at the thought.

The whole day had passed rapidly and Alec had barely had a chance to speak to Magnus after last night, something that left him feeling more than a little unsettled. Not that he blamed Magnus for avoiding him, not after… Alec ran his fingers roughly through his hair, cringing at the memory. Everything had been going so well, he'd finally started to relax around Magnus and then he had to go and ruin it, of course he did. He still had the small glimmer of hope that Magnus hadn't noticed Alec's reaction to that small touch of hands, that he hadn't noticed him unable to look away. Maybe he hadn't noticed the overwhelming urge that Alec had felt, as he’d stared at Magnus’ lips, to just close the distance between them.

Of course it was ridiculous to hope that Magnus was a master at cold reading, he knew and he was now undoubtedly avoiding him. Alec had behaved in an utterly unprofessional manner and he had to prove to Magnus that he could focus and do what was needed of him.

“Umm not exactly, no..”

“Oh..ok...well he must really trust you already..” Simon shrugged.

Did Magnus trust him? Was that even possible? No, he couldn't, could he? Certainly Alec had done nothing to deserve any trust. All he had done was let his feelings rule him and Alec wasn't even prepared to analyse what exactly he felt for Magnus. All his life it had been drummed into him that emotions got in the way, granted that had been with regard to business, but the same surely applied in his current situation, didn't it?

The more he thought about it, the more he was convinced what he needed to do; push down everything, focus on the task ahead and above all else do what he needed to do to make sure he didn't let down Magnus, Izzy and Jace.

“Yeah ok...thanks Simon. So I'll head off now. What's the range on this thing anyway?” Alec squared his shoulders, mind focusing on his cover story and the plan.

“Oh don't worry about that..unless you're going miles away it'll work fine..” Simon grinned and Alec just replied with a terse nod.

“Right Ok. I'm good to go.” Alec ran his finger round the collar of his shirt and smoothed down his hair.

Catching his reflection in the mirror behind, it struck him how different he looked. One of the few interactions he and Magnus had had this morning was when Ragnor was trying to sort out a suitable outfit for him to wear. Magnus had insisted that the look was perfect and had stressed the importance of image in creating a role. He was, of course, entirely right.

Alec scanned down his outfit, sky blue polo shirt and cream chinos, definitely not his usual outfit but exactly right for his character, Matthew Daddario, trust fund brat and part time party planner. He wondered casually if Magnus had suggested the role because it was so very different to his normal persona, if it was in fact some sort of test, even though he’d insisted that it was because they could use an existing website for his own company. The fact that organising events was a hobby for Magnus wasn't really a surprise.

“Hey Alec. Good luck..I mean not that you'll need it..” Simon smiled enthusiastically at him.

“Thanks..” Alec said before turning to leave the penthouse.

…………

Magnus straightened his suit jacket and checked his hair, which was depressingly flat and smooth. Everything was ready now, all that he was waiting for was the arrival of Ragnor and Blackwell.

Truth be told he was glad that the meet had been arranged for today as it was a welcome distraction from the events of last night. He still felt the niggling guilt at avoiding Alec most of the day, but he wasn't even a little bit ready to deal with things at the moment.

Luke’s warning was still echoing around his mind but the more time he spent with Alec, the more it became background noise, and that in itself was a problem. He needed to be more cautious, not usually a problem for him, but for some reason he was finding it increasingly difficult. Perhaps it’d been a mistake suggesting that Alec stayed in the penthouse, certainly the proximity wasn’t helping his self control.

Magnus grabbed the glasses from the table. Enough was enough, from now onwards he had to think and act like Mike Chang if he had any hope of pulling this off. Too much time and planning had gone into this to screw it up now. He would deal with the Alec ‘situation’ when all this was over.

“Hey Sheldon, we all set?” Magnus positioned his earpiece in place and ran his fingers over the tie clip that doubled as a microphone.

“All good here. Alec’s headed out and Ragnor just messaged that he and Blackwell are on their way.” Simon’s reply was slightly muffled in his ear but there was no mistaking the excitement in his voice.

“Good, great. Well any problems give me a shout, otherwise I'm going radio silent.” Magnus glanced once more into the mirror, adjusting the glasses so they were straight.

This was the part he loved. He hadn’t lied when he’d told Alec that nerves gave you an edge and he could feel the adrenalin humming through his veins. Samuel Blackwell didn’t stand a chance.

It seemed like only a few minutes later that there was a sharp knock at the door. Magnus loosened his tie and grabbed the glass of whiskey he’d poured himself, an image perfectly crafted to depict someone who'd just got back after a long day in the office, before opening the door.

“Gentlemen, good evening and right on time..” Magnus smiled warmly, pushing his glasses up his nose with his finger before waving Ragnor and Blackwell into the room.

“Well I must admit I was intrigued to see what you had for us..” Ragnor laughed whilst Blackwell just grunted noncommittally.

“Of course..Please take a seat.” Magnus moved back to the desk opening a top draw and retrieving 2 envelopes. “Sorry, where are my manners? Would either of you like a drink?”

“That depends, do we have something to celebrate..?” Ragnor beamed and even Blackwell brightened a little.

“Well, I hope you’ll be pleased..” Magnus placed an envelope in front of them both on the table. “Whiskey OK?”

“Lovely.” Only Ragnor responded Blackwell seemingly more concerned with the envelope in front of him.

Magnus placed the glasses down on the table after he’d fixed drinks and then settled into the armchair, before indicating the envelopes.

Blackwell was the first to open his and paused, taking in the large wedge of cash inside.

“How much is here..?” He murmured eyes transfixed by the money.

“One thousand six hundred and fifty six dollars. I hope you don't mind, I kept the small change.” Magnus laughed.

“But you only invested $500..” Blackwell muttered, the cogs obviously whirring inside his head.

“That’s quite a return..” Ragnor reached down and opened his own envelope whilst Magnus simply shrugged.

“Yes, it worked out quite well this time, had better but not bad..” Blackwell looked up as Magnus spoke, eyeing him cautiously.

“You do this a lot?” He asked carefully.

“From time to time..” Magnus replied

“Well dear boy, the question on my lips is when are you planning to go again? I can’t speak for my friend here but I’d certainly be interested..” Ragnor grinned.

………….

Alec had managed to find a coffee shop down the road from the DuMort and had settled himself in to wait. Simon was entirely right, the distance was not a problem and the earpiece was working a treat.

Nursing a drink, Alec focused in on the conversation he was listening to whilst pretending to concentrate on his lap top.

So far Blackwell hadn't said much of anything and what he had said had been tinged with caution. Magnus had told him to trust his instincts, pointed out that he might not even be needed, but any signs of doubt from the mark and his job was to be the final persuader.

Alec had hoped that maybe he could have sat this one out but everything he heard indicated that unless he helped, the mark was about to walk away. Alec finished up his coffee and headed out. It was time to prove to Magnus that he’d made the right call in trusting him.

……….

Magnus could feel Blackwell’s uncertainty and he knew Ragnor could too. The man was definitely wavering and he only hoped that Alec had picked up on it too because, quite frankly, they needed him.

There was no mistaking that Blackwell had flinched when Ragnor had suggested going again but this time for more. Magnus was doing his best to not push too hard, treading that fine line of looking as though he was reluctant to take on two practical strangers without looking too negative.

When there was a loud rapping at the door it was all Magnus could do to not sigh in relief.

“Oh I'm sorry gentlemen, can you excuse me for a moment..I...my next appointment appears to be a little early.” Magnus smiled apologetically as he got up to answer the door.

“Not a problem, dear boy.” Ragnor replied, before turning to Blackwell and beginning to talk quietly.

As Magnus opened the door he almost didn't recognise Alec, not only because of the clothes but more that, he seemed to ooze sense of confidence and entitlement.

“Mike my man..” Alec practically barged through the door, grabbing Magnus’ hand and shaking it firmly. “Sorry I'm early, but hey you know me, I'm not a patient man. So what you got for me this time…”

It was only at this point that Alec seemed to notice the others in the room

“Oh sorry..didn’t realise you had company. I can always come back later.” Alec grinned, shrugging his shoulders.

“Oh no, don’t mind us..” Ragnor stood to greet him. “Stephen Beale and this is Samuel Blackwell. We were just leaving anyway..”

“Oh Ok. Well hey, you don't need to on my account. Any friend of Mike’s and all that..Anyway we won't be long will we..” Alec looked across at Magnus and waggled an eyebrow and Magnus couldn't help but wonder where this new found confidence had come from.

“I don't suppose so, no.” He agreed, wondering why _he_ was the one feeling somewhat nervous and why this confident version of Alec was making him feel a little odd.

“Cool..so don't keep me in suspense any longer…” Alec practically whined as Ragnor settled back onto the sofa with a now very inquisitive looking Blackwell.

Magnus simply smiled serenely, beckoning Alec over to the other side of the room where a silver suitcase sat on top of the minibar. Alec practically bounced over to join him.

“Woah…” Alec gasped as he opened the case, making sure that Blackwell had a clear line of site and was fully able to see the neatly stacked bundles of cash inside, each topped with a $100 dollar bill.

Carefully Alec pulled out one of the bundles, top row third from the right, as he and Magnus had previously arranged, and ruffled it in front of his face smiling broadly. Magnus knew full well that Blackwell knew exactly what he was looking at.

“Mike..you are a miracle worker as ever..” Alec gave Magnus a hearty slap to the shoulder. “And to think my parents said I'd never amount to anything..ha, this'll show them.”

“Glad to help..” Magnus smiled back.

“Nah..you are a legend. Hey you should come to my do in a couple of weeks. It's gonna be lit and, even if I say so myself the theme is fab-u-lous..” Alec oozed excitement, hands moving flamboyantly.

“Ah, sadly I may not be around..” Magnus shrugged his shoulders

“Don't tell me you're running back to Seattle.” Alec pouted

“Week after next.”

“One day, one day Mike, I'll drag you to one of my events.” Alec grinned.

“So you work with Mr Chang a lot then, Mr..” Samuel Blackwell had stood up and walked towards them.

“And how is that any of your business?” Alec sneered obviously annoyed at being interrupted.

“Well as it goes it's very much my business. Mr Chang here was talking about an investment opportunity for myself and Mr Beale..” Blackwell fired back clearly rattled by Alec's attitude.

“There's another one coming up..Seriously Mike, I'm in...whatever they're putting in I'll double it…” Alec turned back to Magnus.

“I seriously doubt it..I'm a serious businessman not…” Blackwell looked Alec up and down with an obvious look of contempt.

“Really…” Alec rolled his eyes before lifting up the suitcase. “Well I'll put in all this..the full $500k. I'd love to see Mr Serious Businessman match that.”

Magnus stepped calmly between the two men who seemed to be engaged in a staring contest.

“Gentlemen, please. Matthew, Mr Blackwell..” Magnus raised his hands as if trying to placate the two men.

“If he's in...I'll match him..” Blackwell was still glaring at Alec, who just huffed in response.

“Oh dear things are getting rather heated aren't they..” Ragnor laughed from the sofa as all three men snapped their heads round to look at him. “So Mr Chang, the question of course is do you have a deal on the table..”

“I...I don't know..well yes I think so..I mean that's a lot of money..” Magnus acted confused by the whole situation.

“Capital. Well it seems as though you have three investors.”

“Ok..look gentlemen, what you're talking about is serious, this is going to take some thought.” Magnus looked between all three of them before reaching for his phone and scrolling through the diary screen. “If you can give me a few days...ok how about we meet at my office, say 3pm Wednesday...that should..yes, that'll give me time to sort things out.”

“Fine by me..” Alec said still glaring at Blackwell.

“And me..” Blackwell snapped back.

“Great! Well..that's all settled..Samuel, weren't we talking about trying that new Argentinian steak bar..?” Ragnor plastered on his most winning smile.

“Well gentlemen, sadly I should..” Magnus indicated his laptop before handing business cards to Ragnor and Blackwell.

“no problem Mike...same office as usual..” Alec turned his most winning smile on Magnus who nodded in response. “Great, well in that case I'm out of here..”

With one last contemptuous look at Blackwell, Alec spun on his heel and left.

“3pm Wednesday then..” Ragnor smiled “Samuel?”

“Yeah right.” Blackwell was still frowning but nonetheless followed Ragnor out.

When everyone had finally left, Magnus slumped into the armchair in relief..

“Oh wow...Alec did great didn't he..” Simon chuckled over the earpiece.

“He really did, didn't he..?” Magnus murmured

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah Alec so proud of you...and of course any resemblance to alt Alec is entirely coincidental honest ;-) lol.
> 
> So I think realistically I'm thinking I'll be up dating every 2 weeks ...if I get anything done sooner obviously I will post sooner..hope that's ok..
> 
> More importantly I really hoped your enjoying this silly little fic..I always love to hear what you think ...honestly your comment make my week.
> 
> Tigs xox


	8. Who are you Alexander?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With phase 1 of the plan successful there's time to relax before the next step.
> 
> Lydia and Raj think of their next move

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone *waves*
> 
> I know I'm hopeless at updating on time...but I got there...turns out getting a season 3 renewal really inspires me to write..
> 
> Anyway hope you enjoy xox

Magnus was feeling somewhat unsettled and he wasn't entirely sure why. Everything had gone exactly to plan, actually better than he'd planned. When he'd thought it through, he'd expected to be able to take Blackwell for $250k tops, but somehow Alec had managed to get him to agree to a far larger stake than even he'd thought possible.

Magnus moved over to the mini bar and poured himself a drink before collapsing into an armchair, his adrenalin rush of the last few hours well and truly wearing off, as he thought back over the evening's events.

Simon had been right of course, Alec had done well, really well and if he was honest, there was something mesmerizing about the confident side of him that he'd seen tonight. Alec in charge and in the zone was a sight to behold and he would have to be an idiot to not admit it'd had a devastating effect on him. Whatever attraction he'd felt for the man since their eyes first met seemed to have blossomed into something so much deeper as more and more facets of his personality had revealed themselves. It was terrifying, and therein lay the problem.

Magnus was no fool, he would never have got this far in life if he was, but Alexander Lightwood was still an enigma to him. An unsettling and confusing enigma that brought up so many questions that he wasn't sure he wanted to answer yet.

Where had Alec found all that confidence from ? How was he so good at playing a role? And most scary of all, what if the nervous, shy man that Magnus had come to know was just another act, one carefully crafted to draw him in?

Magnus’ mind flashed back to the conversation with Luke, the likelihood that he knew who Alec's parents were niggled away like a splinter in his mind. What if the man he saw today was the real Alec? But if that was the case then why, when Alec had first come to see him, had he acted the way he did? It just didn't make sense, unless after Jace had failed with his confident approach, the Lightwoods had decided to try a different tack. The thought alone made his stomach lurch.

He took a large drink from his glass, relishing the familiar burn of alcohol.

What the hell is with you Bane?

He should be ecstatic by how things had gone, but instead he was sat here trying to find the answers he needed at the bottom of his whiskey glass . It was ridiculous, what he needed to do was stop over-thinking things, stop worrying about his goddam feelings and change out of this goddam suit.

Magnus reached for his phone, determined to get his mind back on the task in hand, focus on the details, tie up loose ends. That's what he needed to be thinking of right now.

.……

Alec felt like he'd been walking for hours. At first, because he was worried that somehow Blackwell would catch him sneaking back into the DuMort and ruin anything, but later just to get rid of the last vestiges of adrenalin pumping through his veins.

Knowing he should head back now, but still feeling buzzed, he decided to try and clear his head and be ready to think logically about the next part of the plan.

The coffee shop he'd been in earlier was much quieter now and he was grateful for the relative peace as he settled down with his Americano. As he reached for his phone, he smiled to himself at the new case it was sporting. It'd been an impulse buy, something he'd seen on his walk and not normally something he’d even consider, but it felt right, like something Matthew would have. Flipping his phone so it was face down, he ran his fingers over the glittery rainbow colours. It'd been pure instinct that when faced with Blackwell, he'd decided to play up his sexuality, he'd met that kind of person so many times, they always wanted to be alpha male and to be out done by a gay guy would be unconscionable.

The truth was he'd enjoyed it, making Blackwell squirm, using his competitiveness and homophobia against him. He only wished he was more like that in real life, that somehow he could have the sort of confidence he'd given his character, without it being an act.

Alec sighed softly to himself as he drank his coffee, maybe one day he'd be able to not care so damn much what other people thought, to be more like Izzy and Jace and yes, Magnus too.

“Hello..sorry is this seat taken..” Alec was startled out of his thoughts and looked up to see a blonde woman smiling down at him. Glancing around he realised that the coffee shop had filled up substantially whilst he'd been lost in his thoughts.

“No. I'm just finishing up anyway.” Alec indicated his nearly empty cup, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice.

“Great, thanks. I didn't realise these sort of places got so busy…” The woman smiled sweetly as she sat down and Alec watched her carefully. For some reason something felt slightly off about her, although he couldn't quite put his finger on it. To all intents and purposes she seemed harmless, her smile friendly without being too friendly.

Alec shook his head and drunk some more coffee. Maybe it was just the accent, maybe that the woman, who was clearly British, just didn't seem as busy and self involved as most New Yorkers.

“I take it you're from round here?” The woman smiled at him as she stirred her latte. Great, she wanted to talk to him.

“Yeah. Look I don't wanna be rude, but I'm just about to head out and...well I'm sure you're really nice ….but I'm just not interested, okay.” Alec tried to down the rest of his coffee but stopped when he heard the woman laughing. He looked at her over the rim of his cup, eyebrow raised.

“Oh god...you thought...I'm so sorry…” the woman laughed before pointing at his phone on the table. “The case is a bit of a hint..”

“Oh right, yeah..” Alec rubbed his neck, fighting back his embarrassment.

“I kind of guessed you wouldn't try some cheesy pick up line, that's why I sat here.” The woman grinned.

“Oh, okay. Sorry then, but I really do need to head off so…” Alec hastily finished his drink.

“Well maybe I'll see you here again sometime...I'm in here a lot, new to the city and all that..” she smiled.

“Um yeah, well I mean no, probably not, but..” As usual Alec ran out of words as he scrambled to his feet, grabbing his phone.

“Ok, well just in case, I'm Lydia..”

“Alec. I really…” Alec indicated towards the door, as Lydia nodded in response.

………

  
“Here he is, the man of the hour!” Magnus heard Ragnor declare loudly as he reappeared from his room.

By the time he’d returned to the penthouse everyone had already returned, that is everyone bar Alec. Trying not to think too much about that, he’d retreated to his room using the excuse that he needed to change, remarking flippantly how suits were really not his thing.

Somehow, putting his makeup on and selecting jewelry had become a calming ritual that never failed to make him feel more himself thereby restoring his sense of control. This time was no exception.

Leaning against the doorframe, he saw Alec enter the room, blushing mightily as all the attention was turned on him. It all seemed so natural, there was no way it could be an act, Magnus thought, pushing his doubts down, a fond smile playing on his lips.

Alec mumbled something that Magnus couldn't quite catch, as Cat stood up and patted him on the shoulder.

“Ragnor literally hasn't stopped talking about how well you did.” She turned and rolled her eyes affectionately at her husband.

“Well, credit where credit’s due. I think a celebration is in order. Now, you may not know this, but we have a tradition that states no champagne until our work is successfully concluded, but I do have a very fine brandy.” Ragnor waggled the bottle temptingly.

“Honestly, it was..” Alec began to speak.

“If you were about to say it was nothing, then I'm going to have to disagree. You have no idea how much you annoyed Blackwell, which means two things. One, he's absolutely determined to not be outdone by you and two, he was so angry he insisted on leaving immediately to start getting the money together, so yours truly was spared spending another evening in that odious little man’s company.” Ragnor counted off the reasons on his fingers and Magnus saw Alec smile shyly. “Both of which are reasons why I am very grateful to you, dear boy.”

“OK.” Alec smiled, finally looking up and spotting Magnus standing in the doorway, the blush instantly returning.

“You'd better listen to him Alexander, he won't let up otherwise.” Magnus chuckled, before moving over towards them all. “Anyway, he’s entirely correct. We were very close to losing Blackwell and you well and truly pulled it back.”

Alec’s shoulders seemed to relax a little as he conceded defeat and accepted the glass Ragnor offered him.

“You don't know the half of it, Magnus. You should've heard the conversation in the lift on the way down. Awkward..” Simon spoke excitedly as Magnus raised a questioning eyebrow. “And that phonecall, man that was genius..”

“Phonecall?” Magnus looked between Ragnar and Alec, who had now perched himself on the sofa, nursing his drink.

“Alec took a phone call, from his boyfriend..” Simon explained.

“You should've seen Blackwell’s face though, that was the best bit. Looked exactly like he was sucking lemons..” Ragnor chuckled.

“Really?” Magnus noticed that Luke and Jocelyn had moved over to join them, looking equally interested in the conversation.

“I...yeah…” Alec smiled slightly.

“Real phone call?” Magnus pushed slightly, wondering if Alec did indeed have a boyfriend. The thought bothering him in ways he wasn't sure he wanted to deal with right now.

“Um, no...I set the timer on my phone, pretended the alarm was my ringtone..” Alec replied and Magnus burst out laughing, partly due to relief but mostly in genuine amusement.

“Nicely done. I have to say, playing on his homophobia was a good call…” Alec looked pleased at the compliment, and for a few seconds their eyes met and Magnus found it more than a little challenging to remain calm.

“He has great instincts.” Ragnor clapped Magnus on the shoulder, effectively breaking the mood, before leaning forward to top up his brandy.

“So it would seem.” Magnus muttered under his breath.

“Honestly, it was hilarious, he was all ‘Baby, you know you're the only man for me’ and like ‘seriously hon, there’s no need to be jealous of Mike’ and ‘I know I said he was a genius..I meant a financial genius baby,’ ” Simon continued oblivious to any undercurrent.

“Ah yes Simon, but you missed the eyeroll, I think that practically had Blackwell grinding his teeth.” Ragnor chuckled.

“I really need to sort out some sort of minicam. I always miss out on the fun bits.” Simon pouted, as Clary patted his arm in consolation.

“Hey, at least you weren't having to actually work..” she mumbled.

“Your sacrifice is duly noted.” Magnus teased.

Alec seemed to be a little shellshocked at all the praise and Jocelyn smiled gently at him.

“You get used to them.” She smiled, knowingly. “Now you lot, leave the poor man alone.”

Alec relaxed slightly and Luke winked at him and mouthed ‘good job’ before artfully steering the attention away from him.

“So we’re all go then.” Luke looked at Magnus.

“It would certainly seem so. Now, back to business. How’s the office going?” Magnus glanced between Clary and Luke.

“Fine. Mr Steve Johnson is on annual leave, his office is free for the next week, 10th floor, and his secretary has taken a few days off while the boss is away..” Clary replied proudly.

“Luke?” Magnus probed.

“I'm thinking there might be an air con problem that will need sorting, that should give me enough time to sort things and give you, hmm, an hour tops. Will that be enough?”

“Perfect.” Magnus caught the slightly confused look on Alec’s face, pausing to give him time to speak.

“I…sorry...I just.” Alec took a deep breath. “So why the office trip?”

“Ragnor..care to explain..” Magnus grinned, indicating his old friend with his hand.

“My pleasure. So we give Blackwell one more out..” Ragnor explained.

“I dont..” Alec scrunched his brows in confusion.

“We explain how things work, we offer him the deal, but there’s a catch..” Luke explained.

“It's all highly illegal..insider trading and all that..” Ragnor explained.

“He has one final chance to back out..” Jocelyn smiled.

“But..why..” Alec puzzled. Magnus held up a hand to silence everyone, wanting to see if he would work it out. He wasn't disappointed.

“So, let me get this straight. You tell him what you're doing is against the law.” Alec looked at Magnus for reassurance and he nodded for him to continue. “I...wait...so if he goes ahead..”

Magnus smiled, encouragingly.

“If he goes ahead..when it all goes wrong..he can't go to the police, because then he implicates himself in an attempted fraud. That’s it, isn't it..” Alec looked at Magnus, wide eyed.

“Exactly.” Magnus grinned, feeling strangely proud.

“That’s the art of the long con, dear boy. The mark may suspect they've been conned but they can't do anything about it, not without severe consequences for themselves.” Ragnor added.

……..

It was getting late in the evening and Raj was getting increasingly frustrated. He’d seen Samuel Blackwell go into the DuMort and then leave, apparently in a hurry, but since then, nothing. The lights on in the penthouse indicated that at least someone had gone back, but despite the telephoto lens on Lydia’s camera, he hadn't got close to anything incriminating and he just wasn't sure where to go from here.

He was grateful when he heard the door to the roof being opened and saw Lydia arriving. Hopefully she had something more, because he was getting more than a little frustrated with the lack of hard evidence.

“Anything?” Lydia came over to join him, just as Bane and Garroway emerged onto the roof terrace. Hastily, Raj snapped some photos of the two in conversation.

“Nothing substantial. I just wish I could I hear what they're saying.” Raj looked away from the terrace to turn to Lydia. “You?”

“Hmm maybe, not sure..” Lydia looked thoughtful.

He’d delved into Lydia’s background, exactly as he said he would and was more than impressed with what he’d found. Her resume had revealed her to be the youngest DI in Met history and over the last few years, she’d been instrumental in bringing down some pretty major players for corporate fraud. All in all, he was grateful that he had her on his side.

“So, something’s been bothering me..” Raj nodded for her to continue. She pulled out her laptop and brought up the surveillance photos Raj had taken and emailed to her. “This guy…”

Raj looked to see the photos of Magnus and Alec that he'd taken.

“Ok..what about him?” he asked, curiosity certainly piqued.

“Well…” Lydia put the laptop down on the concrete and crouched down next to him. “OK, so for the last few years I've studied Magnus Bane extensively. Granted, we don't know much, but every rumour I followed up, everyone he came into contact with, I researched. I know who all the other people in that suite are, but this guy...this one is new..”

“And…?”

“I don't get it. Who the hell is he? Why would Bane let him into the crew?” Lydia puzzled, staring at the screen.

“It’s out of character?” It was part question, part statement.

“Yeah..Bane usually restricts his team to those people really close to him.” Lydia shook her head, as if to clear her thoughts.

“So who the hell is he?” Raj looked at the man with renewed interest.

“See, that’s the thing. I don't have a clue.” Lydia sighed.

“So what do we do?”

“Well, that's what I was trying to work out while I was heading up here and guess who I saw sitting in the cafe..” A faint smile played on Lydia’s lips.

Raj pointed at the screen and Lydia grinned.

“And?”

“So I played the new in town card, tried to talk to him. Didn't get very far, he rushed off like a startled rabbit. I was kind of hoping I’d be able to...oh, I don't know, maybe clone his phone or something, but I didn't get the chance. I did learn two things though. Firstly, I'm pretty sure he’s gay..”

“You think he and Bane are involved?” Raj narrowed his eyes, watching Lydia carefully.

“No,I don't think so...I mean there’s no indication from the surveillance, and honestly, I'm not even sure it’s relevant. I mean it was kind of odd, whenever he’s around in the penthouse he always seems to try and merge into the background, and yet there he is in the cafe, rainbow phone case, chinos and looking kind of smooth, I guess. It didn't seem to fit with how he usually acted.” Lydia flicked through the pictures as she spoke.

“So, he’s part of the scam then.”

“Pretty sure.” Lydia replied. “See, all the others are rock solid, but…”

“This guy could be the weak link..” Raj clarified.

“I don't know. Maybe. I think we need to find out more, maybe get some leverage. One thing’s for sure, he’s new and also, he’s probably our only chance.”

“It's gotta be worth a shot..”

“Mmm. Trouble is, he knows me now. Dammit, I shouldn't have …” Lydia snapped the laptop shut angrily.

“Yeah, but he doesn't know me..right?” Raj looked at Lydia before continuing. “So I keep an eye on him and you watch here.”

“Actually, yes that could work..” Lydia seemed to brighten a little.

“OK, so do we know anything about the mystery man then?” Raj could feel his mood improving as a plan started to form.

“Not much. I did manage to get a name though...Alec..”

“Well, I suppose that’s a start.” Raj glanced back to the terrace and almost laughed when he saw the man in question joining Bane and Garroway on the terrace.

“Speak of the devil.” Lydia muttered.

“Let's find out who you are, Alec.” Raj leaned forward, filled with a new determination as he fired off a few pictures.

………

  
The evening had gone well, but despite it all, Alec still felt on edge. Magnus had been really kind to him and seemed genuinely impressed with him, but there was still an atmosphere between them which Alec felt responsible for after his behaviour last night.

Much as he wanted to pretend that it hadn't happened, there was no doubt in his mind that he needed to clear the air. There was no point in denying that the more he got to know Magnus, the more he seemed to seep under his skin, invading his thoughts and even his dreams, but there was no way that Alec could let it affect the job. He had to push his feelings to one side because this was too important to screw up, there was just too much riding on it.

Magnus and Luke had disappeared outside to discuss some finer details and Alec knew that this was his chance to catch Magnus, hoping that the knowledge that there were people just inside the doors would stop a repeat of last night’s moment of weakness.

He gave Magnus and Luke some time to talk, not wanting to interrupt anything important, and seeing Ragnor in the middle of some anecdote, took his opportunity to slip out.

As he stepped out of the door, he heard Luke and Magnus talking.

“You're sure about this?” Luke looked concerned and Alec cleared his throat, not wanting to be seen as trying to overhear.

“Ah, Alexander.” Magnus turned and smiled.

“Sorry, I didn't want to interrupt..I can go back in..” Alec hesitated, hand reaching for the doorknob.

“No, it's fine..we’re pretty much done here. Luke, would you mind giving us a moment? We’ll keep things as they are for the moment, I’ll tell you if anything changes, okay?” Magnus turned back to Luke, who leaned forward and muttered something inaudible to him before walking up to Alec.

“Don't worry, I’ll keep the vultures away for now.” Luke smiled as he nodded towards the door. “Great job today!”

“Thanks.” Alec muttered, as Luke smiled and patted him on the shoulder before going inside.

Magnus had turned back to watch the city.

“I take it you wanted to talk to me.”

“Umm, yeah, if that’s OK.” Alec shifted uncomfortably.

“Of course, Alexander.” Magnus looked over his shoulder smiling, before indicating the spot next to him.

Alec joined him, making sure he didn't stand too close, knowing full well what being near to Magnus did to him.

“So..” Magnus turned towards him.

“I...OK..” Alec didn't really know where to start. Taking a deep breath, he continued. “Look, I know I acted a bit weird last night and I...I just wanted to apologise.”

Magnus had an unreadable expression on his face, almost looking confused.

“Honestly, Alexander you have nothing to apologise for..” He began.

“No, I do. I..I..I.” Alec rubbed his neck anxiously, wishing as he often did, that he had Jace or Isabelle’s way with words.

“It's okay to be nervous, Alec. I get it, I really do. You know, I still remember my first job. I honestly don't know why Ragnor ever gave me a second chance, I was a mess.” Magnus spoke lightly, looking back at the streets, but as Alec studied his profile there was a seriousness to his expression that belied his words.

“You were?” Alec found it hard to imagine Magnus as anything other than the confident person in front of him.

“Oh you don't know the half of it, and let me tell you, I didn't do even half as well as you did today.” Magnus smiled as he glanced across and Alec felt some of the tension leave him. If Magnus thought his odd behaviour was due to nerves it was probably a good thing.

“Thanks.” Alec put his palms flat on the balcony wall, maintaining the distance between them.

“No I mean it. You're a natural, Alexander. Ragnor was right earlier, your instincts were spot on. You surprised me.” Magnus must have seen the slightly concerned expression on Alec's face before he continued. “In a really good way, I might add.”

“Good. I mean I'm glad..I..I know I've said this before, but I really don't want to let you down..”

“Well, you certainly didn't do that.” Magnus laughed, lifting the heavy mood somewhat. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure” Alec angled his body to look at Magnus properly.

“I'm just curious, really. Where did all that confidence come from?” Magnus seemed almost hesitant asking, it was somewhat unsettling.

“Honestly, I'm not really sure. I guess I...I enjoyed it, you know..” Alec replied, almost shyly, and as he looked up at Magnus from under his lashes, he nodded for him to continue. “It was a chance to be..someone I'm not. Does that even make sense?”

“It does” Alec felt better for Magnus’ reassurance.

“I mean, I've met tons of people like that..” Alec paused, realising what he'd said, what the hell was he supposed to say now. Yes, he’d met lots of people like that, they'd been his social circle when he was younger, before, well before it all turned to shit. It was something he really wanted to tell Magnus but knew equally well now wasn't the time.

“I mean, you know in the last few years, what with the cons and all, and I dunno, maybe I just tapped into my inner Jace a bit.” Magnus laughed out loud and Alec couldn't help but smile at the sound, glad that he'd managed to steer away from the dangerous territory that was his past.

“He’d be flattered, I'm sure.” Alec flushed slightly as Magnus looked at him. “Whatever it was worked beautifully, you did well, Alexander. You got Blackwell to agree to a much higher stake than I thought we could.”

“I did?” Alec was a mix of surprised and proud.

“You did. You certainly tapped into his competitive spirit.” Magnus chuckled.

“I kinda figured he wouldn't want to be outdone by the gay guy..” Alec laughed.

“And you were entirely right. It’s funny how people like that equate sexuality with masculinity..” Magnus muttered the last part under his breath.

“Yeah.” Alec agreed softly.

“You've come across that kind of attitude before, I take it?” Magnus looked at Alec carefully.

“I..yeah something like that.” Alec shifted uncomfortably, thinking back to past events, things he still had difficulty fully dealing with.

“Sorry, that was too much.” Magnus had obviously detected his discomfort, which was entirely to be expected. “I didn't mean to..”

“No, it's fine..I..it's just hard, you know..” Magnus nodded in understanding. “I’m getting better with it, it's just sometimes it still hurts when people judge you for things you can't change about yourself...I mean I'm glad I came out and...shit, sorry I...I didn't...I guess I never told you....about me being gay...I mean, not that it's a big deal or a secret..it just…”

“It's OK, Alexander, I get it..who you choose to love doesn't change who you are as a person. Trust me, I know how hard it can be.” Magnus spoke softly and Alec had the almost overwhelming urge to just tell him every horrible little detail, because for some reason, he felt sure that Magnus would be someone who would truly understand.

“Thanks. I mean..I guess it just shows you who you can really rely on, you know.”

“I do.” Magnus replied

“It's a good thing though. I mean that’s probably why Jace, Izzy and I are so close..they've always been there for me..” Alec couldn't look at Magnus, so he stared out at the streets again.

“I take it your parents weren't as accepting...you don't talk about them..” Alec just shrugged in response.

“You could say that..” Alec mumbled. It would be so easy to just tell Magnus everything, but he honestly wasn't sure how he'd react. If Magnus knew who his parents were, would he still look at Alec the same way? He just couldn't be sure so, he kept his mouth shut.

“Alec, you know if you ever want to talk…” Magnus began, before stopping himself. “Let me tell you one thing I've learnt over the years. Family is more than blood, it's more than an accident of birth. Sometimes the people you call family come from something much stronger than that, they come from choice.”

Alec let the words sink in, mulling them over in his mind.

“But I think that’s enough for tonight. Let's go celebrate with the others..You deserve it.” Magnus laid a hand on Alec’s arm, almost hesitantly, and he had to fight the shiver that went through him.

“Okay” Alec smiled lopsidedly.

“Okay.” Magnus started to walk back into the penthouse, only turning at the last moment. “And Alexander, thank you.”

“For what?” Alec furrowed his brows,not really sure what Magnus meant.

“Oh, I don't know, for today, for talking to me, for trusting me.” Magnus replied flippantly “maybe one day I'll tell you about my first con..now there’s an embarrassing story.”

Magnus laughed and winked, before opening the door.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So things are moving forward aren't they...
> 
> So a few things are going to happen next time and we find out what Clary's been up to ...
> 
> It's not beyond the realms of possibility that we'll see a bit of the Lightwoods as well
> 
> Tigs xox


	9. Playing The Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The con is one step closer to completion and Magnus and Alec are growing closer...for now

In theory, waiting for the next meeting with Blackwell should've been a great opportunity to take a break and make sure everything was perfect for the rest of the plan, but instead Alec was restless, anxious to see what would happen next.

It was only three days to wait but to him it felt like a lifetime, not helped by the fact that despite Magnus assuring him that it was OK if he wanted to leave for a bit, he had decided to stay in the penthouse along with everyone else. Much as he would've loved to visit Jace and Izzy, he knew it would be difficult not to just tell them everything that was happening, and that just felt like a betrayal to Magnus, although he wasn't even sure why.

Logically, staying was the best choice, a chance to get to know everyone better and really start to feel like part of the team. To an extent it was the truth, but a larger part of him just wanted to be around Magnus. Being near him made Alec feel more comfortable in his own skin than he ever had, knowing that there was someone who just _got_ him, without the need for any explanation.

Ever since they'd spoken, Alec had begun to feel more relaxed around Magnus. It wasn't that his attraction had faded, in fact the opposite was true, but he knew there was more to it than that and he definitely wanted Magnus in his life, even if it was just as friends.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Alec glanced up to see Luke looking at him thoughtfully. Another major advantage of the last few days was getting to know him better.

Initially, Luke had been cautious around him, but now they seemed to be getting on like a house on fire. Alec appreciated his calm demeanor and mischievous sense of humour and truly hoped that one day he would think of him as a friend.

Alec’s eyes flicked down to the board in front of him, before looking up and smiling as he moved his knight into position.

“Checkmate.” He grinned, as Luke rolled his eyes.

“Dammit.” Luke laughed, warm eyes crinkling at the corners.

“Sorry..” Alec smiled shyly.

“No you’re not..”

Alec laughed out loud, feeling more relaxed than he had in quite some time. Looking up, he noticed Magnus had wandered over, glass in hand, to watch the pair of them.

“You two seem to be getting on well…” Magnus looked between the two of them in amusement.

“Well, we would be, if he didn't keep beating me.” Luke teased. “Ok, well I'm done for now. I'd best go check on Joss or I’ll definitely be in the dog house.” Luke stood up and winked at Alec. “I'll get you next time..”

Alec just grinned in response before starting to pack the pieces away. Apparently, Magnus had other ideas, reaching out he put his hand on top of Alec’s to stop him.

“You’re not giving up already, are you? I thought you might like another game.” Magnus smiled innocently.

“Sorry. I didn't realise you played.”

“Oh, a little bit. Chess is such a fascinating game, don't you think?” Magnus waved his glass around dramatically, before placing it on the table and sitting down.

“So, are you ready for tomorrow Alexander?” Magnus leant back in his chair a little, watching Alec setting up the pieces through narrowed eyes.

“I hope so. I mean, I'm not really sure what you need me to do..” Alec looked up through his lashes, trying hard to keep his eyes on Magnus’ face, rather than drifting down to the expanse of chest that was on show, thanks to his low cut tunic.

“Just do what you’ve been doing, my dear. Your instincts are good, just trust them.” Magnus smiled and Alec couldn't help but smile back, feeling rather lost for words.

“So, chess then..” Magnus nodded to the board, raising an eyebrow a little, effectively breaking the mood.

“Oh yeah, right..” Alec ran his fingers through his hair, feeling more than a little flustered. “Ok, so you know the basics, right? I mean, I dont..sorry, I'm not..”

“It's fine, darling...and to answer your question, yes I do..I'm sure I'll pick the rest up as we go along..” Magnus reassured.

“Ok..why don't you play white, you get to move first, you know, ease into it..”

“Thank you, Alexander.” Magnus smiled sweetly.

Magnus tapped his finger to his lip as if deep in thought, moving his king's bishop pawn forward two spaces.

Several moves later, Alec realised he was in trouble.

“Um Magnus…” Alec looked up, brows furrowed in concentration.

“Yes, darling?” Magnus batted his eyelashes innocently.

“You know exactly what you’re doing, don't you?”

“Oh, you mean the stonewall attack, such an elegant opening, don't you think? On the whole, I prefer it immensely to the queen’s gambit, but maybe that’s just me..” Alec looked at him wide eyed, as Magnus just grinned back at him.

“Conman” Magnus indicated to himself with his thumbs and Alec burst out laughing.

“Ok..” Alec grinned back.

“Ok.”

“Let’s play.” Alec growled, his eyes glittering with excitement.

………

Magnus had not enjoyed an evening as much as this in quite some time. Ordinarily, the lull in the middle of a con was beyond tedious, but somehow having Alec around made everything feel so much better. Who knew that an evening playing chess could be so much fun. Not only was Alec great company when he finally relaxed, but he shared Magnus’ desire to win.

It was quite late by the time they finally packed up for the night and wandered back to the others.

“Well, I suppose we both have a healthy dose of competitive spirit .” Magnus remarked, as they made their way over to the sofas.

“I grew up with Jace, didn't have much of a choice..” Alec laughed.

“I'm quite sure that’s true. Some people can't be around that kind of energy, I myself find it invigorating.” Magnus smiled happily.

“Finally. I thought you two would be in your own little world forever.” Ragnor grumbled as they joined the others, whilst Cat batted him on the arm in mock annoyance.

“So Alec, you ready for tomorrow..?” Cat shook her head slightly at her husband, before looking up at him.

“Yeah, I think so...I'm not sure what I need to do though..”

“Oh Magnus, give the poor boy a break and stop being so damn cryptic.” Cat chided gently, as Magnus huffed indignantly.

“Don't worry, all you need to do is play along whilst Magnus explains the deal..ok..?” Cat smiled kindly.

“Ok, yeah I can do that..” Alec sat down on the sofa next to her. “I was thinking..well, I’m supposed to have done this before, so you know, maybe I could pretend to be a bit bored by the whole thing..”

“Perfect.” Magnus smiled proudly at Alec.

“Great..good..” Alec flushed, which Magnus found utterly adorable.

How someone this smart and downright gorgeous could possibly be so shy, he didn't know, but as the days went by, he felt more and more compelled to find out.

“Well, big day tomorrow.” Magnus stretched dramatically. “I suggest we call it a night for now.”

There were murmurs of agreement from everyone present and as everyone started to leave he couldn't resist approaching Alec one last time.

“I know you'll do fine, Alexander.” Magnus patted Alec's chest before retiring to his bedroom, leaving a stunned Alec feeling ridiculously happy.

…….

  
Alec felt the familiar buzz of excitement run through him when he woke in the morning but this time, rather than being accompanied by anxiety that he would screw up in some way, he felt a quiet confidence.

Whenever he worked with his siblings he would spend the morning before a job stressing over the smallest details, looking out for any and every way things could grow south. This time he had no such concerns, he trusted Magnus implicitly and could simply concentrate on his role.

It was still early when he got up and, knowing he had a few hours yet, he just pulled on some sweatpants and an old t-shirt before heading out to the lounge area.

Magnus, of course, was already awake and sitting by the table drinking a mug of coffee whilst scanning through his phone. In front of him was a large platter of pastries that someone had obviously brought back.

“Good morning, Alexander.” Magnus smiled without looking up from the screen. He always seemed to know who was approaching, and whilst at first it’d been rather disconcerting, Alec now found it strangely comforting.

“Do you ever sleep?” Alec muttered as he joined him, surreptitiously trying to straighten his sleep mussed hair.

“Annoying, isn't it?” Ragnor grumbled from behind him, before making a beeline for the coffee pot. “And no, don't respond to that, Magnus. I need caffeine before I deal with anything.”

Ragnor huffed as he sat down and grabbed a croissant.

Magnus switched his attention from his phone and poked his tongue out at Ragnor.

“So rude...remind me why are we friends?” He teased.

“Because there are so few people who would put up with you..” Ragnor replied.

“See what I have to put up with Alec?” Magnus pouted.

“Oh, I'm not getting involved..” Alec smiled. Over the last few days he’d managed to relax more around Magnus. Granted, his dreams were still filled with deep brown eyes and glitter, but at least now he could push all those thoughts to one side, if it meant spending time with him.

“Good idea.” Cat smiled. Alec glanced up and barely recognised her as she walked over. Her hair, now the colour of ebony, was neatly swept up into a chignon, and rather than her normal casual attire, she was wearing a very conservative skirt suit and heels.

“Yep, I got dragged into this too.” She smiled at Alec’s incredulous look. ”So, at least there’ll be one reasonable person there..”

Magnus held a hand to his chest, as if wounded.

“Oh..OK..well, I should change then..I” Alec made to stand up, only for Magnus to reach over and grab his arm.

“Don't mind Cat. She always gets ready way too early..likes to get into character..” Cat shrugged as he sat down. “Have some breakfast, the pastries are delicious.”

Alec relaxed down again.

“Anyway you have more time than these two.” Magnus nodded between Cat and Ragnor. “What time are you meeting Blackwell?”

Ragnor glared over his coffee cup before answering.

“He wants to meet for lunch first. Honestly, this had better go well because I deserve a fortune for having to spend time with that man.” Magnus rolled his eyes in response.

“See Alexander, lots of time.”

There was something cozy and comforting about sitting and eating a relaxing breakfast with everyone. It was strange how this group of people had come to mean so much to him, in such a short time.

As Luke arrived, he patted Alec on the shoulder before he sat down and passed two ID cards over the table, whilst Jocelyn poured them both coffees.

“Jocelyn, these are perfect my dear.” Magnus picked up his card and examined it closely, whilst Cat simply pinned hers to her jacket.

“Good, aren’t they?” Luke smiled proudly at his wife. “Simon’s sorted out the memory chip in them, so they should work fine.”

“So we’re good to go?” Magnus glanced up.

“All set. Clary knows what she’s doing.” Luke looked at his watch. “Shouldn't be too long now.”

“Where is Clary anyway?” It was something Alec had been meaning to ask for some time. Of all the crew, the redhead was the one he knew the least about. She was always around in the evenings but left early in the mornings.

“Oh darling, Clary is in work.” Magnus laughed at the confused expression on Alec’s face. “How do you think we got the ID cards?”

“What Magnus is trying to say is that Clarissa has been temping as a receptionist at Herondale, Carstairs and Starkweather.” Jocelyn clarified.

“Where we’re meeting today..So let me guess, when I turn up, I make sure I talk to her.” Alec looked to Magnus for confirmation and received a nod in response.

Before they could talk anymore, Luke’s phone started to ring. Holding his hand up to silence everyone, he accepted the call.

“Hello JW heating engineers..” He sounded so serious but the crinkling of the corners of his eyes gave him away.

“Hmm ok, that sounds like a problem…..yes, I appreciate that...ok, well I’ll have a team to you within a few hours..” Luke hung up.

“And so it begins” Magnus muttered under his breath.

………

The offices of Herondale, Carstairs and Starkweather were pretty much exactly what Alec had expected, a sea of glass and chrome rising sharply into the New York skyline. The foyer was large and open, filled with people rushing back and forth looking extremely preoccupied. Large potted ferns and palm trees were situated artistically around the space and the walls and floor were all a crisp white, in keeping with the impression of a successful corporate enterprise.

A black marble reception desk stood against a side wall and there was no mistaking Clary standing behind it, looking smart and perfectly coiffed, wearing a sharp trouser suit. Alec walked briskly towards her.

“Hello sir, can I help you?” Clary looked at him completely deadpan and Alec had to admit she was very good. To the outside observer there would be no indication that she knew him at all.

“I have an appointment with Mr Chang at 3pm.” Alec leaned on the reception desk.

“Of course, sir.” Clary made a show of tapping away on the computer, although Alec knew there would be no record of the meeting anywhere. “If you wouldn't mind signing in for me.”

Clary slid a clipboard and pen over to him which so far had only two names on it, indicating that Ragnor and Blackwell had already arrived. After scrawling something illegible on it, he passed it back.

“Thank you. Ok, so here’s your guest pass, if you could hand it back when you leave and then sign out.” Alec grabbed the pass and clipped it to his top. “Mr Chang is on the 10th floor, end of the corridor.”

“Thanks.” Alec smiled and headed over to the bank of elevators.

Arriving on the tenth floor, the first thing Alec noticed was how quiet it was, the second was Simon and Luke, both wearing overalls, open tool boxes by their sides, fiddling with a panel on the wall.

It didn't take much effort to find Magnus’ office, complete with name plaque, announcing Mr Mike Chang as a financial consultant.

“Ah Matthew, glad you could join us.” Magnus smiled as he entered.

“About time.” Blackwell grumbled under his breath.

“Anyway, as I was explaining to Mr Blackwell and Mr Beale here, we’ll have to keep the meeting short and sweet. Sadly we appear to be having a problem with the air conditioning, so it may get a little cosy.” Magnus laughed.

“Not a problem. I'm a big fan of cosy.” Alec grinned, winking at Magnus.

“Yes, well...ok. Does anyone want a drink? Tea, coffee? No? Good. Ok, so before we go into my office, I do have one requirement. As I'm sure you’ll appreciate, confidentiality is extremely important in this sort of deal, so I'm going to have to ask that you hand all your mobile phones and laptops over to Ms Sharpe here.” Magnus indicated to where Cat was sitting behind a desk. “Just a precaution, you understand.”

Ragnor handed over his briefcase and phone without question, but Blackwell seemed to hesitate.

“Problem?” Magnus asked.

“None here.” Alec walked over to Cat and handed his phone over.

Cat opened a desk drawer and placed the phones inside.

“I can assure you, they'll be quite safe here and I'm afraid I must insist.” Magnus folded his arms and watched Blackwell closely.

“Fine.” Blackwell huffed, before handing his bag and phone over somewhat reluctantly.

“Excellent. Well gentlemen, shall we?” Magnus opened the door and ushered everyone through.

“I really don't see why all this is necessary.” Blackwell grumbled, before sitting down.

Magnus took his position behind the desk, and once everyone had settled, began to speak.

“Ok, now that’s all out of the way, let’s get down to business. I know it seems like I'm being a bit cloak and dagger but there is a reason. As I'm sure you're aware, I've been doing this for some time but I need to be clear about one thing before we continue. What I'm proposing is a highly effective way of securing a big return that much is true, it is however, not entirely legal.” Magnus paused for a second to allow his words to sink in. “So, if you are in anyway uncomfortable with that, you may leave now, no questions asked.”

“Hey, laws are meant to be broken, I say.” Alec smiled and lounged back on his chair, crossing his ankles.

Blackwell and Ragnar shared a look.

“Ok. How much of a risk are we talking here?” Ragnar's brow furrowed, as if thinking things over carefully.

“I endeavour to take every possible precaution but nothing is 100% infallible. Having said that, I have experience of dodging the pitfalls and because I spread my time between multiple offices across the world, the risk I would say is very small.” Magnus replied.

“And the rewards?” It was Blackwell’s turn to speak.

“Well, it depends. I would say I average at least doubling the investment but sometimes it is more, although I can't guarantee that.”

“Honestly, why are we still talking about this? Mike we’ve done this before and honestly, if these guys aren't brave enough, screw them.” Alec pouted.

“Matthew..” Magnus warned.

“I'm in.’ Blackwell glared at Alec.

“Mr Beale..” Magnus looked at Ragnor quizzically.

“Oh, what the hell! I could do with a bit of adventure at my age.” Ragnor laughed.

“Finally.” Alec muttered.

“Good. Ok, well now that’s agreed, let me explain what’s going to happen.” Magnus spun round the laptop on his desk to show the video feed from the computer bank. “Every day stock market data is sent directly into this computer here. What I've managed to do is add a virus to the system which informs me a few seconds before the data reaches the trading floor.”

“A few seconds, that’s not long.” Ragnor mumbled.

“Enough to be able to buy or sell any stock that I'm watching but not long enough to be detectable.”

“Am I the only one who finds intelligence really attractive?” Alec smirked. “No, just me…”

Magnus cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Umm...yes, well. I've looked into potential targets and I think I've found the perfect one. On Tuesday, Idris Oil are releasing their annual figures and suffice to say whatever the results, there is bound to be a significant change in their share value.” Magnus continued. “We would need to have everything in place Sunday night, but it could be done in time.”

“That’s fast.” Blackwell muttered.

“I appreciate that, Mr Blackwell, but for the amount of money you're talking about, we need something big so it's less noticeable. If the timeframe is too short, then..”

“Fine by me…” Alec butted in. “I mean, if he can't afford it..”

“I didn't say that.” Blackwell snapped back.

“Then why are we still talking about it..” Alec sneered.

“Gentlemen, please.” Ragnor attempted to calm the two men down.

“I’ll have a bankers draft ready by Sunday.” Blackwell folded his arms and sat back in his chair.

“I'm afraid that’s not going to work.” Magnus sounded apologetic. “As I'm sure you're aware, I'm taking quite a risk here and there can't be any paper trail whatsoever, it has to be cash only. That way, I can spread the investment around.”

Magnus pushed the intercom on his desk.

“Ms Sharpe, could you bring the cases in?”

A few seconds later, Cat came through the door with 3 identical silver briefcases.

“This all seems rather over cautious.” Ragnor observed.

“I admit to being meticulous in my preparation and maybe I am a little overcautious but I want everything as secure as possible not just for my investors but for me too. “

Ragnor nodded in agreement.

“Just tell me the when and where..” Alec’s eyes glittered with excitement.

“Well, if everyone agrees, I was thinking my room, 6pm Sunday. I'd really rather keep this away from the office.”

“It's a date. Well, you know places to be, people to do and all that.” Alec winked as he stood up.

Ragnor and Blackwell exchanged another glance and Blackwell nodded.

“Sounds like quite the adventure, dear boy. I’ll see you on Sunday.” Ragnor stood up and shook Magnus hand.

Blackwell seemed to hesitate for a second and Alec felt his heart race anxiously.

“Sure. Ok, Mr Chang, we have a deal.” Blackwell stood up and shook Magnus hand, before grabbing his case.

“Oh and Mike, just so you know, I'm gonna insist on a drink to celebrate when all this is done.” Alec grinned as Magnus shifted uncomfortably, noting with satisfaction the look of disgust on Blackwell’s face as he rapidly left the room, closely followed by Ragnor.

As soon as the others had gone, Magnus turned to Alec and mouthed ‘good job’ adding in a wink for good measure.

Alec couldn't help the smile that was plastered all over his face as he joined Blackwell and Ragnor to retrieve his phone.

“So, see you Sunday, guys.” Alec offered a hand that Ragnor shook but Blackwell looked at in disgust, turning rapidly on his heel and stalking out of the office.

“Well, that’s just rude..” Alec pouted and Ragnor had to stifle a laugh.

Shoving his phone in his pocket, Alec followed the others down the corridor and was only halfway to the lifts when it started to ring. As he paused to see who was calling, he didn't miss the look of satisfaction on Blackwell’s face as he stepped into the lift, knowing that it would prevent Alec from joining them.

Alec sighed as he saw his sister's name pop up on screen. He’d barely spoken to his siblings, relying instead on text messages, not wanting any distraction from the job in hand. Clearly, Izzy’s patience had run out.

It was only when he pressed decline that his good mood suddenly evaporated, and a feeling of panic took hold instead. The screen was filled with alerts of multiple missed calls from both Jace and Isabelle, and worse still, a text message from the last name he’d ever expected to hear from again.

_Alexander, you need to tell me what’s going on RIGHT AWAY! - Mom_

………..

Magnus leant back on his chair, hands behind his head, taking a moment to just enjoy the fact that, once again, everything had gone exactly to plan. When he'd first suggested that Alec join the team, he really hadn't expected him to fit in quite as easily as he had. He'd worked with the rest of the team for so many years, that they instinctively followed his lead, yet Alec had slotted straight in after only a matter of days.

He'd thought that he'd have to spend a lot of time explaining his methods to Alec, but he'd been completely wrong. It was like the pair of them were just naturally on the same wavelength, like there was an understanding between them that went beyond logic.

Hearing the door to the office open, Magnus looked up to see Simon.

“So, did you get it?” Magnus asked and the way Simon grinned was practically an answer in itself.

“Easy.” Simon slid a memory stick across the desk. “Honestly, what an idiot, he only had basic encryption. I was really expecting it to be harder and, not gonna lie, I'm a little bit disappointed.”

“And you're sure you got everything?” Magnus leant forward, picking up the memory stick and twirling it in his fingers.

“Yep, every last bit. I even had time to spare, and trust me, that guy's browser history would make you hair stand on end.”

“Great. Well, we can definitely celebrate tonight then.” Magnus smiled back.

“See, I knew it went well by the look on your face when I came in. Ragnor and Alec looked pretty happy when they left, I mean until Alec saw his phone, but I mean that makes sense. Hopefully it's ok, he's done so well and all..”

“Whoa, hold on, what the hell are you talking about?” Magnus raised his hand to silence Simon, his good mood rapidly fading.

“Oh god, sorry you wouldn't know.” Simon replied somewhat sheepishly. “So, there I was trying to get into all the files on Blackwell's laptop and Alec's phone literally didn't stop ringing, sounded like Jace and Izzy really needed to get in touch with him. I just hope it's not too serious, I mean even his mom was texting and...”

“What? You're certain.” Magnus sat bolt upright and looked at him through narrowed eyes.

“Well, yeah. I mean I probably shouldn't have looked, but in my defence I was just trying to turn the volume off ‘cos it was really distracting, and I..” Simon was rambling on and Magnus felt himself getting more and more irritated.

“Simon, focus. How did you know Alec’s mom was trying to get in touch?” Magnus snapped, regretting it almost immediately when he saw the slightly wounded look on Simon’s face.

“Well, the message came up as Mom so, you know. Something about wanting to know what was going on…”

Magnus sprang to his feet and stormed out the office, leaving a somewhat bewildered Simon behind.

Luke raised an eyebrow as he approached.

“Luke, I need you to find out what's happening with Alec..” Magnus folded his arms and looked resolutely at him.

“Any particular reason?”

“He received a text from his mother that seemed to unsettle him. I need to know why.”

“Ok. You're sure about this?” Luke gently placed a hand on Magnus arm.

“I need to know Luke.” Nodding in response, Luke immediately headed off, leaving a worried Magnus in his wake.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo....stuff is going on with the Lightwoods and Magnus is suspicious...
> 
> As ever come shout at me here or on tumblr @the-burning-tiger
> 
> Not long to go now (I'm thinking 3 more chapters but as you know I'm weak ;-))


	10. Family ties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec has to deal with a Lightwood family problem and Magnus finds out exactly who his newest member really is...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So....back with another chapter...I'm so sorry it's taken a while, sadly life and I'll health got in the way...anyway hope you enjoy x
> 
> As ever huge thanks to @LadyMatt who turns my mindless rambling into an actual story....couldn't do it without you hon x

The fact that Izzy answered on the second ring did little to reassure Alec. Ordinarily his sister spent a significant amount of time working out where she’d left her phone, and her rapid response to his call could only mean that she was desperate for a reply.

“Izzy, what the hell..I'm right in the middle of things, almost literally..” Alec stormed down the corridor. At least he didn't need to worry about the cctv, safe in the knowledge that Simon was due to delete any sign of them being there later. It was pretty much his only consolation.

_“I'm sorry Alec, but it’s kind of an emergency.”_

The lift door dinged open as Izzy spoke.

 _“Can you talk right now..?”_ She asked

“Briefly, but…” Alec ran his fingers through his hair anxiously as the elevator began its descent.

 _“Ok, look, probably the best idea is you just get round here..”_ Izzy sounded hesitant.

“Seriously Iz, you need to tell me what the hell is going on. I even got a message from Mom.”

“ _Oh god..”_

“Exactly” Alec practically ran to the reception desk, throwing his visitor's pass at a concerned looking Clary before heading to the door.

As he stepped out onto the street he caught sight of Ragnor and Blackwell chatting, and taking a deep breath, made a valiant attempt to look calm, despite how he felt.

“So sweetie, I'm on my way and then you can tell me simply everything…” Alec spoke loudly, hoping to maintain the facade.

“ _Shit Alec, are you actually in the middle of the job…”_

“Uh-huh I did tell you that, hon..”

…………..

After what felt like a lifetime of dead ends, Raj finally felt like he was getting somewhere. He’d successfully managed to tail Alec to an office building downtown, and clearly his luck was in because, not 45 minutes later, Ragnor Fell and Samuel Blackwell emerged.

He’d managed to get close enough to overhear at least part of their conversation and had pieced together information from that. From what he could tell, the deal was going down on Sunday and most likely at the DuMort.

Soon after, the tall dark haired guy, Alec, had emerged and whilst Raj hadn't managed to catch what he was saying on the phone, he had managed to hear the address he'd given to a taxi driver.

Which was how he’d found himself standing outside a rather nondescript looking building in Brooklyn. The building that Alec had just rushed into.

Having waited for a few minutes, Raj made his way toward the door. On the side were two buzzers, marked only as apartments A and B, so no useful information there at all.

Pausing for a second, Raj pinched the bridge of his nose, considering his next move. He supposed he could go to neighbours to try and get information, but there was a risk that if he started flashing around his police badge that, somehow, word would get back to Alec. It inevitably did. All that left was the decidedly unpalatable option of a stake out.

Releasing a hefty sigh, Raj turned to go, practically colliding with an elderly lady heading towards the door.

“Watch where you're going, young man.” She grizzled, adjusting her multiple shopping bags to reach for her keys.

“Sorry ma’am,” Raj muttered, staring at his feet, trying to look as unobtrusive as possible.

The woman eyed him cautiously before continuing.

“Hmm let me guess, mooning after my neighbor. Well I hate to break it to you but that young lady isn't going to settle down anytime soon, and good for her I say.” The woman put her bags down and crossed her arms belligerently.

Sensing a chance for more information if he played his cards right, Raj decided to feign ignorance. "I beg your pardon?"

“Isabelle Lightwood, lives upstairs with her brothers…” The woman paused, narrowing her eyes slightly. “Or maybe not, maybe one of the boys. Hopefully that lovely Alexander, such a polite boy, always helps me with my shopping, he’d make someone a lovely husband, well if he wasn't ..well you know...although I suppose some lucky man...not that I judge, you understand.”

Raj nodded seriously.

“Anyway, if you're looking for Alec, he hasn't been around for a few days, so you’re out of luck and if it’s that Jace, well I pity you. That boy thinks rather too much of himself, if you ask me..” The woman pursed her lips disapprovingly.

“I'm sorry ...I should..” Raj nodded over her shoulder.

“Hmph..young people, always rushing around.” The woman muttered before grabbing her bags and barging past him, going through the door and slamming it behind her.

A satisfied smile played on Raj’s lips as he walked back to the street his mind already focusing on finding somewhere to watch unobserved.

_Alec Lightwood, eh...well that’s a start._

……

It felt like a lifetime since Alec had been back at the apartment, even though it'd only been a few short weeks. Granted, not knowing what waited for him the other side of the door didn't help his mood in the slightest.

He’d barely got the key in the lock when the door was thrown open and Izzy flung herself into his arms.

“Oh Alec, thank god you're here.” Alec’s mind raced at his sister's reaction. Whatever was happening must be pretty bad if the normally super confident Isabelle Lightwood was this rattled.

“Gonna tell me what the hell is going on..” Alec muttered, as Isabelle ushered him in.

“Bro, like the look..” Jace looked up from where he was lounging on the sofa. He seemed remarkably relaxed, which just confused Alec even more. “So you were literally mid con, eh? So how’s it going? Tell me everything..”

“Jace,” Izzy warned softly.

“What? I'm interested..sue me..” Jace huffed.

“Stop, the pair of you. Someone better tell me right now what was so important that you nearly screwed up Magnus’ plan and why the hell Mom is trying to get in touch with me, ‘cos right now, I’m just about…” The sound of the toilet flushing made Alec stop mid rant, eyes darting to the bathroom door. “Who the hell is that?”

“Um yeah...so...that’s kind of the problem..”Izzy shrugged as the door opened.

A tall sandy haired teenage boy emerged somewhat sheepishly, his shoulders slightly hunched.

“Hey, big brother..” He grinned shyly.

“Max…” Alec gasped.

…….

Magnus sat on the sofa, fiddling with his mobile. The journey back to the penthouse had been somewhat awkward and he could practically feel the concerned looks Cat kept throwing in his direction. Fortunately Simon had been largely oblivious to the atmosphere, for which he was grateful.

It was ridiculous really but waiting to hear from Luke had become a strange kind of torture and had brought home in vivid technicolor just how much Alec had come to mean to him. Ever since Camille he’d put up defences and somehow Alec had managed to crash through them all and now there was a real possibility that it had all been an elaborate scam. When would he learn?

“I need some air..” Magnus stood abruptly, throwing his phone onto the table before grabbing a glass of whiskey and marching out to the terrace.

Behind him he heard someone entering the penthouse but he didn't even bother to find out who.

He’d barely settled himself by the wall when Cat and Ragnor joined him.

“Magnus, honey. What is with you..?” Cat laid a hand gently on his forearm. Magnus shook his head as if in defeat.

“Please, just talk to us..” she continued.

Magnus spun to face them.

“Fine! You want to know, well here goes. I screwed up, happy now..” Magnus snapped.

“How exactly? I was there in the meeting, it all went really well...why are you being so dramatic?” Ragnor frowned.

“Alec..” Magnus muttered, staring into his glass.

“What about him? He did really well..” Cat looked puzzled.

Magnus turned back to look out at the city beneath him.

“You know the stupid thing is Luke warned me right at the start, but I thought I knew better…” The bitterness was evident in every word Magnus spoke.

“Oh for the love of god, what the hell are you blithering on about now?” Ragnor huffed.

“Alec..he..his Mom is trying to get in touch with him..” Magnus muttered.

“And?” Cat eyed Magnus’ profile carefully.

“Luke warned me. He recognised him, at least he thought he did. He’s checking up on him now but it seems pretty certain he’s Maryse and Robert Lightwood’s son.” Magnus clenched his jaw and continued staring.

“Yes I know that, so what?” Ragnor said.

“What?” Magnus turned sharply to stare at Ragnor. “You _knew_ …”

“Obviously. You know I do do my research before introducing you to people.” Ragnor rolled his eyes.

“And you let him in. Are you mad…?” Anger flashed in Magnus’ eyes and Cat subtly positioned herself between the two men.

“I fail to see what the big deal is. The Lightwoods have been estranged from their parents for years. As far as I see they're the perfect allies..” Ragnor shrugged.

“And you know that, how?”

“Well I do keep my ear to the ground, dear boy. Also, Maryse and Robert Lightwood accepting a gay son, let alone allowing their offspring to live off hustling?..I mean really it’s obvious that family fell apart. Honestly Magnus, credit me with a little common sense at least. I have been doing this a little while, you know.” Ragnor folded his arms.

“So why does his Mom want to know what’s going on then. Answer me that?” Magnus snapped back.

“Magnus, you don't even know if that's anything to do with us..” Cat tried her best to calm the situation down.

“Oh don't bother, you know he’s made his mind up already. Alec has done _nothing_ to make you doubt him in the slightest but you're determined to think the worst.” Ragnor pointed his finger at Magnus in accusation. “And of course, this is nothing to do with how you feel about him..”

“What the hell…?” Magnus was practically shouting back.

“Rags, look, I think you’d better leave us to it..” Cat placed a hand to Ragnor’s chest

“Fine. But you know I'm right..” Ragnor muttered, before stalking back inside.

Magnus had turned back to look out at the streets and Cat moved to stand next to him.

“You know he doesn't mean it.” Cat nodded his head towards the penthouse.

“I know..it’s just..” Magnus muttered, tension evident in his shoulders.

“Ok let’s look at this rationally. All we know is that Alec’s family is trying to contact him. That’s it. We don't know what's going on.” Cat put her hands flat on the balcony wall. “Just answer me this Magnus. Do you honestly think that Alec has been conning all of us? I mean, putting everything else aside, what does your gut tell you?”

“My gut’s been wrong before..” Magnus’ shoulders slumped.

“No it hasn't” Magnus turned his head to find Cat watching him with a calm assurance.

“How can you say that after what happened with Camille..?”

“Oh honey..” Cat placed her hand over his. “Let’s be real here. You always knew what Camille was like, whether you wanted to admit it or not. You tried so hard to please her _because_ you knew.”

“Maybe..”

“Definitely. You forget you’re not the only one who can read people, and I know you. Alec is nothing like Camille…”

“You don’t know that...not for sure..”

“Maybe not, but I feel it, and you do too. You forget I've seen you two together, seen the way he looks at you. That man would never do anything to hurt you..”

“But…”

“No Magnus, don't let your fear of falling for him, push him away. Just talk to him. Please, for me. I'm sure there’s a rational explanation.”

Slowly, Magnus looked up and nodded almost imperceptibly.

  
………

  
“So yeah..that’s about it, and before you say it, I’m not going back.” Max glared defiantly from the armchair as Alec paced in front of him.

From what his brother had told him, it seemed evident that Maryse and Robert had not learnt anything at all from the loss of their oldest three children. He'd hoped that maybe after everything that had happened, they would've been at least slightly more accepting of Max, but clearly it had been wishful thinking on his part.

The guilt at leaving his baby brother had gnawed at him as Max had explained what had been going on for the last few years. How his parents had tried to blame Alec for everything and paint him as the bad guy. How Max hadn't believed a word of it and how finally it had all come to a head when Maryse had found their youngest son making out with a school friend, a male one at that, and all hell had broken loose.

At fifteen years of age, Max hadn’t been able to get away like Alec, Jace and Isabelle had and before he’d known what was happening, Maryse and Robert had packed him off to military school ‘to teach him some discipline and self control’. It was typical of them.

“Wait..Valley Forge.” Alec paused in his pacing and faced Max.

“Uh-huh..”

“Max, that’s in Pennsylvania..how the hell..” Alec ran his fingers through his hair.

“Hey, I’d saved some cash and hitchhiked a bit. Called Izzy to pick me up from Grand central.” Max replied proudly.

“Nice..” Jace muttered approvingly, earning a stern look from Alec.

“Max, you’re fifteen..” Alec said.

“Nearly sixteen..” Max pouted.

“Do you have any idea how dangerous that was..?”

“Jeez Alec, I'm fine…” Max shrugged.

“Alec’s right. You should've just called one of us to pick you up..” Izzy added.

“Whatever. Anyway, I’m here now and I'm not going back.” There was no mistaking the look of determination on his brother’s face.

“Max…”

“I’m not...and if you send me back I’ll just run away again, only this time you won't know where I am.” Max smirked as Alec huffed in frustration.

“Max. I don't think you appreciate what’s going on here. Mom texted me. Do you honestly think they’re just going to let this go?”

Max just shrugged again in response.

“She called me, as well. They’re in New York..” Izzy muttered.

“What?” Alec spun around to look at his sister. “How the hell?”

“Yeah Ok, that’s kinda my fault. Turns out they’d tapped my phone.” Max replied casually. “ Oh chill Alec, it’s cool! I worked it out, ditched my phone and got this beauty.”

Max waved a phone at Alec.

“Untraceable..clever, eh…”

“Max, they’re already here..” Alec was getting more and more frustrated with the situation.

“So we get rid of them…” Jace said, as if it were the easiest thing in the world.

“And then what?” Alec glared at him.

“Hey, there are schools in New York. I can live with you guys..the Lightwoods reunited..” Max grinned.

“Max, it’s not that simple..” Alec began to speak, only for Izzy to interrupt.

“Look, let’s just all calm down. First things first, let’s get rid of Mom and Dad, then we’ll work the rest out. Ok?” She glanced between her brothers. “ So, any ideas?”

………

Raj hadn't had to wait long for his target to be on the move and he’d managed to tail him to the subway, and onwards to a coffee shop where he seemed to be having a heated debate with, what appeared to be, his parents.

What was even more interesting was that he’d sworn he’d seen Luke Garroway, as well. Perhaps Magnus Bane wasn't convinced about his newest crew member after all.

Having settled down in a corner booth with a clear line of sight to where Alec was, he placed his coffee down and retrieved his phone.

_Lydia, have some info. Look up Alec Lightwood, also Isabelle and Jace._

It didn't take long for his phone to ping with a response from Lydia.

_On it. Great job._

_Also looks like everything’s going down on Sunday. Pretty sure, at the DuMort._

_Great. That’s our shot. I’ll see if Bane has used any of his pseudonyms to get a room._

  
Raj smiled to himself as he sipped his drink. They were so close now he could almost taste it. Magnus Bane wasn't going to know what hit him.

………..

Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, Alec stepped into the coffee shop. Despite how he was feeling, he had to at least look confident knowing that his parents, especially his mother, would detect any sign of weakness like a shark smelt blood.

Jace and Izzy had offered to come with him but this was something he needed to do on his own, not just because his siblings were prone to being too hot headed but also he couldn't help but feel that until he’d truly faced up to his parents, he couldn't fully move on with his life.

Scanning the room it didn't take long to catch sight of his parents, despite the years they hadn't changed much. Clenching his fist in his pocket he strode towards them, determined to look calm and in control.

“Where is my son?” It was Maryse who noticed him first, looking up and eyeing him carefully.

“Well hello to you too, mother, long time no see. I'm doing fine, thanks for asking.” Alec slipped into the seat opposite her, putting his hands together on the table.

“Alec, please, your mother is just worried.” As usual Robert tried to calm the situation.

“Interesting. I don't suppose either of you were that worried when you packed Max off like some dirty little secret.” Alec sneered.

“Oh I suppose this makes you happy, does it? This is _your_ fault, _your_ bad influence….” Maryse began to speak, only to stop when Alec slammed his fist down hard on the table, making the surrounding customers glance over.

“Enough.” He spat out.

The silence seemed to stretch out for hours, when in reality it was probably only seconds.

“Alec…” Robert pleaded. “We just want to know he’s safe.”

“He's fine. No thanks to either of you.” Alec held his mother's gaze with determination.

“Good. That's great. Now just tell us where he is and we’ll take him home.” Robert spoke softly and Alec glanced across at him briefly.

“No, he doesn't want to come back with you.”

“He's fifteen. We’re his parents. He has no choice in the matter.” Maryse folded her arms, sitting back slightly as if sure that she'd won the battle.

“Oh but that's where you're wrong. Max is going to sue for emancipation…” Alec smiled wickedly and enjoyed the slight flinch his mother gave in response.

“Alec..” Robert began but Maryse stopped him by placing a hand on his forearm.

“Oh he is, is he? Well let's see how _that_ works out for him. Your father and I will hire the best lawyers money can buy. He won't win..”

“You're probably right.” The victorious look on Maryse’s face soon faded as Alec continued. “But the problem is this, when the case comes to court Isabelle, Jace and I, we’ll all testify..”

“You wouldn't dare..” she whispered.

“Oh try us, and what's more, there are reporters and local papers that I'm sure would love to hear our side of the story. Every single juicy tidbit. I wonder what effect that will have on your perfectly crafted reputation…”

Despite her attempt to hide it, Alec could see he was getting to his mother. Perhaps before he wouldn't have noticed it, she really was very good at maintaining her implacable facade, but years of reading people, of picking up on almost imperceptible cues, had changed him. He could see as clear as day the slight twitch at the corner of her eye and the tightness around her jaw, and knew what it meant. Maryse Lightwood was rattled.

“You really think you can threaten your father and I. You seriously think we don't know people, that we can't get a story quashed…” despite her words, Alec could see the doubt and decided to drive his point home.

“Oh I don't doubt that at all, but see, the world has moved on in case you hadn't noticed. There’s this little thing called the internet, you might of heard of it. You can shut down the press, but good luck with _that_.” Alec sneered. It was enough to push Maryse over the edge.

“So what exactly do you expect us to do? Leave Maxwell with someone like you, haven't you done enough damage already..” Maryse’s eyes flashed with anger.

“Me...you seriously think this is my fault?” Alec paused for a second, taking a deep breath to calm himself. For some reason an image of Magnus flashed in his eyes as he closed them. Magnus, who was so unashamed of who he was, who embraced difference and celebrated it, who accepted Alec for who he was, without judgement.

Placing his palms flat on the table, he stood up and leaned over Maryse.

“I think that's _exactly_ what you’re going to do. Max will stay here with us, you can still pretend to your society friends he’s off at boarding school and in return I will make sure he speaks to you every week. That's it, that's the deal, take it or leave it..” Alec turned to leave, only for Robert to grab his arm.

“Son..please..” he pleaded.

“I am not your son. You lost that right when you kicked me out, or have you forgotten that already..?” Alec spat back.

“Alec…”

“I’ve said all I'm going to...it's your choice..” Alec flung Robert’s hand off his arm.

“Fine. Have your little victory for now. Maxwell will come running back soon enough..” The slight waver in Maryse’s voice was enough. Alec knew he’d won and a triumphant smile played at his lips.

“Well, for once, that'll be his choice won't it. Now I suggest you pack your bags and head home, there's nothing here for either of you..” Alec turned, and without looking back, walked out of the coffee shop.

……..

Alec had intentionally taken a circuitous route on the way back to the apartment, partly to calm down after the altercation with his parents, but mainly because he didn't trust his mother to not try and follow him.

By the time he got back it was getting dark and the streets were filled with people rushing home from work or starting the evening early. Alec found himself blending into the crowd, grateful of the anonymity it gave him.

As he opened the door, three faces looked up at him expectantly.

“So…?” Izzy was the first to speak, biting her lip anxiously while she waited for an answer.

“It's done..” with everything that had happened today, Alec felt to far too tired to really enjoy his victory.

“You mean I can stay?” Max shuffled forward on the sofa and eyed Alec carefully.

“Yes.” Alec had barely spoken when Max launched himself at his brother, hugging him tightly.

“Woah..Max come on..” Alec’s words were muffled as Izzy and Jace piled in and he was engulfed in a Lightwood family hug.

“I can't believe it...I mean, you did it…” Max was practically bouncing with happiness.

“Look can we all just calm down for minute. Don't think for a second it’s going to be easy, if you stay, there are gonna be rules..” Alec tried his best to look stern, which was somewhat difficult when faced with his family's excitement.

“Fine, whatever..” Max rolled his eyes as he flopped back down on the sofa. “Shoot.”

Alec folded his arms and waited for Izzy and Jace to settle down.

“Ok firstly, we need to sort out a school for you. No slacking. I mean it, Max..”

“I'll sort it.” Izzy patted Max on the arm and smiled at her brother.

“And you will phone Mom and Dad once a week.”

“Seriously.” Max moaned

“No excuses..” Alec looked sternly at his baby brother.

“Fine..ok..” a thought seemed to dawn on Max, who gradually broke out into a wicked grin. “Actually yeah, that could be fun..think of all the things I can tell them.”

Jace stifled a laugh as Alec glared at him.

“Max...just because things are ok for now, doesn't mean it's a good idea to push it..” Alec warned.

“God, when did you become such a buzzkill…?” Max muttered, closely followed by Jace and Izzy chorusing a combination of ‘always’ and ‘for years’ and variations on the same theme.

“Why do I even bother..” Alec huffed dramatically before collapsing into an armchair.

“So is no one gonna ask..?” Jace looked around the group expectantly. “Fine down to me then. So Alec, how the hell did you manage it..?”

“I may have suggested that Max would take them to court…” Alec shrugged his shoulders casually.

“Humph, like that'd work..” Max pouted.

“Uh huh. That's pretty much what they said. Funnily enough they didn't seem too keen when I pointed out that, win or lose, we'd all testify and I was quite sure it'd make a great story for the papers..”

“Oh my god...that’s brilliant. I'd pay good money to have seen the look on their faces..” Jace could barely contain his laughter.

“Yeah, it was pretty good..” Alec grinned.

“I tell you what Bro, Magnus has done you wonders..” Jace laughed and Alec’s mind flashed back to him again.

“Magnus? So who's he..? Oooh is he your new boyfriend…?” Max leaned forward and leered at Alec who couldn't help but blush.

“No...it's not..he's not...I mean no..” Alec stuttered.

“Ah, _there’s_ the Alec we know and love.” Jace teased, earning a sharp look from Izzy.

“Just ignore them.” Izzy glared at her brothers who were giggling together and Alec smiled thankfully at her. “So..I'm guessing your gonna have to head back then..”

“I..yeah I should...I just…” Alec ran his fingers through his hair nervously. “I don't know. I feel like I should just make sure Mom and Dad have left first..I mean, things are going well and I don't want to risk screwing it up..”

“Makes sense. So, are you going to tell him what's going on?” Izzy rested her elbows on her knees as she leant forward.

“I want to...but ..” Alec shrugged, his uncertainty over what to do, causing him to hesitate once more. A big part of him wanted to talk to Magnus, tell him everything that was going on, but at the same time he didn't feel right unloading on him. Not when they were so close to the end.

“But you don't want to give him more to worry about..” Izzy, astute as ever, hit the nail on the head.

“Yeah..I mean Magnus, he's amazing but he..he just tries so hard to look out for everyone and he has enough to think about right now without...well, you know..” Izzy nodded sagely.

“I get it..well look, why not stay here tonight..make sure they've gone..” she replied.

“Cool Lightwood celebration..” Jace grinned.

……..

  
In the hours Alec had been gone, Magnus’ mind had been racing, going over every possibility and getting no real answers. He'd always prided himself on being able to work every angle, see every potential hazard and have a plan in place for everything. For some reason, when it came to Alec, all logic went out the window.

He'd barely moved from his position on the roof terrace, not really wanting to engage with anyone just yet, not while his emotions were so turbulent. He needed evidence of any subterfuge before he could even consider what his options would be.

A slight movement beside him caught his attention, and glancing to his side he saw Ragnor had joined him.

“If you're going to lecture me again, then don't bother.” Magnus stared ahead of him before taking a slow sip from his whiskey.

“Actually no. It is possible I was a little too harsh on you earlier.” Ragnor muttered, as Magnus raised an eyebrow.

“Really?”

“Apparently so. In my defence, I worry about you.” Ragnor replied, mirroring Magnus’ posture.

“I'm fine.”

“How long have I known you, old friend?” Ragnor deliberately stared straight ahead.

“A while…” Magnus leant his forearms on the wall in front of him.

“And yet you still seem to be holding on to the idea that you can pull the wool over my eyes.”

“I…”

“Magnus, please.” Ragnor turned to look at him. “That man is good for you. You forget I saw what you were like with Camille, and let me tell you the last few days, seeing you with Alec, well it's like you're finally getting back to yourself.”

Magnus dropped his head down in defeat.

“I'll just say one last thing. You, my friend, are one of the best men I know, and whether you like to admit it or not, you have so much love to give despite your best attempts to close yourself off. I have always known that one day someone would come along who would break down the walls you've built around your heart and when that love returns to you, you must do everything in your power to fight for it…” Magnus cautiously looked up at his friend.

Magnus opened his mouth to speak but the words never came, interrupted by the arrival of Luke.

“Well, that’s my cue to leave.” Ragnor smiled and patted Luke on the shoulder as he walked past. “Look after him.”

Ragnor nodded his head towards Magnus and Luke raised an eyebrow.

“So…” Magnus looked at Luke, forehead furrowed.

“We were right. He is Maryse and Robert's son.” Luke stated plainly, watching as Magnus shoulders slumped.

“Yes, so I hear. Ragnor knew all along.”

“Of course he did.” There was a glimmer of a smile playing at the corners of Luke's mouth.

“So he met up with them..” it was a statement rather than a question.

“Yes, but…” Luke shifted awkwardly on his feet, noticing the slight clenching of Magnus’ jaw. Taking a deep breath he continued. “I'll be honest, I couldn't get close enough to hear anything but anyone could see that it wasn't exactly what you could describe as a happy reunion.”

“But you don't know..” Magnus replied.

“No, not for sure, but from what I saw and what I know of Alec, I don't think for five minutes that he's working with his parents.” Luke folded his arms resolutely.

“Hmmm, perhaps he's fooled us all..” Magnus muttered under his breath, fiddling nervously with his many rings.

“No.” Magnus looked at Luke and there was no mistaking the resolve in his face.

“Fine, ok. Well I don't see we have any choice at this stage. I guess we'll find out soon enough.”

“Magnus..I really think you should talk to him.” Luke laid a hand calmly on Magnus’ shoulder.

“Yes, well for now we stick to the plan..” Magnus was adamant.

“Magnus..”

“Luke, trust me, if anything changes you'll be the first to know.” Magnus looked away signalling the end of the conversation. “ I need to know for sure..”

Luke nodded sadly before turning and leaving Magnus alone with his thoughts.

However hard he tried to piece all the information together, nothing seemed to make sense, not really. The thought of Alec betraying them just didn't fit with what he knew of the man, and yet, hadn't he thought the same of Camille? Or had he? Had he really been surprised when Camille left?

The phone buzzing in his pocket drew his attention and pulling it out he saw a text from Alec.

_Hope it's ok, just caught up with Izzy and Jace. Thought I might stay here tonight._

  
_Of course darling, hope everything is ok._

_Yeah all fine. I'll see you tomorrow._

Magnus stared at the text for what felt like a lifetime. Something was going on, he knew it, but what was Alec not telling him, and why did the man's trust matter so much to him. As he tossed back the last of his drink, the irony was not lost on Magnus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So ...next time the final stage of the con...it's gonna be interesting (I hope)
> 
> Anyway I love to hear what you think xox


	11. The con is on...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So finally the day has arrived...will everything work out and if so for who?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so first and foremost .... things get a bit, well rough in this chapter.
> 
> Trigger warnings for violence and a major character injury..so take care people
> 
> So here goes...

“So we’re agreed.” Lydia stirred her latte as she stared at Raj.

“I don't see another way. Do you?” Raj drank his coffee, brows scrunched in concentration.

The coffee shop was still quiet, 8 am on a Sunday morning not being a particularly popular time to meet for coffee but making it a perfect time for them to go over strategy.

They’d got frustratingly close to Bane but even with the surveillance footage they had Raj knew in his heart of hearts it wasn't enough. There was no way the DA would even contemplate a prosecution without something significantly more solid.

“Honestly, no…” Lydia replied sadly.

They’d been back and forth for hours and the only solution they’d come to was they had no option but to catch Bane and his crew red handed. The only question was how in hell they were going to do it.

“So…” Raj began to speak but wasn't really sure how to continue. Lydia hummed thoughtfully. “Ok, we need to put together what we know....decide on a plan..”

Lydia hesitated for a moment, fiddling with the teaspoon between her fingers before taking a deep breath.

“You're right.” Lydia straightened up in her seat and met Raj's gaze. “Actually, when you think about it, we know a lot. We know it's going down today, we know the room number, we know all the players and I'm pretty sure we've got enough leverage on Lightwood…”

Raj nodded seriously. In the last few days Lydia had more than proved her worth, not only managing to unearth lots of information on the Lightwoods, but also, thanks to her hunch being correct, managing to pin down the room that Bane was using in the DuMort, booked under one of his aliases, Mike Chang.

“I doubt there’ll be many in the actual meeting. I'm guessing Bane, Fell, Lightwood and Blackwell and maybe one more..” Lydia counted off the names on her fingers. “So we can probably control the situation until backup arrives if needed, although it would be easier if..”

“If we could get Lightwood on board.” Raj concluded and Lydia nodded before pinching the bridge of her nose.

“It's a risk, you know…” Lydia muttered under her breath.

Raj grabbed his cup and drained his drink, deep in thought. After a few moments, he began to speak.

“Ok so what about this..we wait.” As he glanced up he could see Lydia looking at him quizzically. “I mean, so far Fell has always got Blackwell there first..”

Lydia raised an eyebrow.

“If they continue with that pattern then we have a window of opportunity, a small one. We can grab Lightwood as he arrives, try and talk him round..”

“Ok..I guess that could work.” Lydia spoke cautiously.

“Worst case scenario, Blackwell's already there and Lightwood won't have time to warn Bane in time. It's not ideal I know but if we don't have to control four, possibly more, people unless we have to, I think it's worth it.” Raj tried to sound more confident than he was.

It went against every bit of training he had to be going into such a potentially tense situation without a more solid plan, without any idea of when or if they would get back up, but what other choice did they have? If he went to Detective Vargas now, there was more than a possibility she would shut him down, not necessarily because she didn't believe him, but more because with the way things were with NYPD, she wouldn't want to risk police resources on the evidence they had.

“Ok, so we have a plan.” Lydia’s smile was tight.

“We do..just…” Raj hesitated for a second as Lydia tilted her head, waiting for him to continue. “So I'm thinking..we need a way to get everyone out quickly..”

Lydia hummed thoughtfully, examining her fingernails before looking up.

“Ok so... let me think...we need transport right, I mean just in case… I have a hire car, so if we leave cars in the hotel parking, that’s a start. I just..we need Lightwood don't we.”

Raj nodded in agreement .

“So the way I see it...if he refuses to co-operate voluntarily, we need to persuade him. How are we looking with all the surveillance?” Lydia asked.

“I've got it on the laptop and printed out some photos..” With all the time spent staking out the DuMort, Raj hadn't had time to do much more yet.

“Good, great...so if all else fails we confront him with the evidence right..?”

“Right..but we don't know when it's happening..” Lydia nodded. “I don't want to risk missing them..”

“Me neither..so one of us needs to stay here for now..”

“Ok, so I’ll go get my car, then you pick up yours and..well, then we wait.” Raj finished his drink in one deep gulp. “I'll bring all the evidence.”

“Ok, I guess I'll see you on the roof.” Lydia smiled.

Raj grabbed his jacket and stood to leave, only pausing at the last minute to put his hand on Lydia's shoulder.

“We've got this..” he reassured her, before heading off.

…..……

Ever since Alec had returned he’d sensed a tension that hadn't been there before, and he knew it was, at least in part, his fault. However hard he tried, he couldn’t stop thinking about how Max was doing and that the con going to plan was now even more important, if that was even possible. The seriousness of it all was weighing him down, and despite his best efforts, he knew that the others would all pick up on him being somewhat off.

He understood that this was a burden he had to carry on his own, he couldn't and wouldn’t let it affect the others, especially not Magnus, who quite frankly had more than enough to deal with at the moment.

Magnus himself had seemed somewhat distracted, which was perfectly understandable and in a strange kind of way, was exactly what Alec needed. The last thing he wanted to do was to offload on Magnus, after all, he’d done more than enough to help him and it didn't seem right to reward his care with yet more worries.

Initially when he’d returned, Magnus had asked how things had gone and Alec had shrugged it off with talk of the evening he’d spent with his siblings, an evening of pizza, x-box and bad movies, purposely leaving out that the best part of it was reconnecting with Max, something he'd never dared dream would be possible. Despite it all, it’d been a great evening, and even though Alec knew there were challenges ahead, he felt optimistic about the future for the first time in a long while, possibly ever.

Since then, Magnus had pretty much left him alone and whilst it did take the pressure off him, if he was honest, he missed their chats, the time spent hanging out together. He couldn’t help but worry what would happen when he explained what was going on, and whilst he felt sure Magnus would understand, there was still a niggling doubt at the back of his mind.

There were times in the last few days when he was sure that he caught Magnus looking at him with the strangest look on his face, a look that was almost sad, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced with his usual brand of polite charm.

The night before Magnus had seemed particularly off, spending an inordinate amount of time on the roof terrace and all Alec wanted to do was to reassure him, to tell him how much he trusted him, how Magnus had given him the strength to stand up to Maryse and Robert, something he never thought he’d be able to do.

He'd got as far as the door to the terrace when Luke had laid his hand on his arm, and with a kindly smile, told him not to worry.

_“He’ll be fine, Alec. Dont worry. He always gets like this the night before. Just one thing you should know, Magnus, well he has to consider every angle, every possibility, so just promise me, whatever happens, just stick to the plan…”_

Alec thought back to the conversation and it still felt, as it had at the time, that there was something Luke wasn't telling him, and with that thought came the realisation that it wasn't just Magnus he trusted. Every single person in the penthouse had become important to him, and funny though it seemed, he trusted them all implicitly. If Luke wasn't telling him something, one thing he was sure of, it was for good reason.

Alec carefully checked his reflection in the mirror, his preppy outfit and slicked back hair. He was ready. He stared at himself with determination.

_You can do this, Lightwood._

Everything was in place, Simon and Clary had spent the morning sorting out the cases of money, stacks of newspaper all topped with a pristine $100 dollar note. It was the last thing they’d do before heading off, Magnus having made it clear that everyone needed to make themselves scarce, just in case. Soon enough he’d head out too and Ragnor would go and meet Blackwell. The penthouse would be cleared of any trace that they’d been there and only Cat and Magnus would remain, waiting for everything to begin.

Alec went over the plan in his head. Wait for Ragnor to arrive, two minutes later, follow. His case would be to the left side of the room door waiting for him and then...then he’d play his role and before long it would be over.

Taking a deep breath he walked out to the main room. Despite there still being several hours to go, the penthouse was already empty, the cases set ready on the table. For now Alec ignored them and walked determinedly towards the terrace, knowing that that was where Magnus would be.

As he stepped outside he saw his familiar figure standing looking out onto the city and took a moment to appreciate the sight before moving forward.

“Hey.” Alec spoke softly as he joined him and Magnus looked up, his face an unreadable mask.

…………

  
Magnus wasn't used to feeling like this. Ordinarily, before everything went down, he felt a strange kind of certainty, the knowledge that he'd covered all his bases, that every eventuality had been considered. This time it was different, there was the unmistakable sense of doubt and it was unsettling.

It’d been clear when Alec had come back that he didn’t want to talk and it had left Magnus with no choice but to pretend that he knew nothing, and the distance that had created between them was almost painful. If he’d had any disbelief about what Ragnor had said, the way he was feeling now made it obvious that, as was often the case, he was entirely right.

When Magnus had returned to New York he’d felt sure that he was finally over the pain Camille had caused him, and now he’d done the one thing he’d always promised himself he wouldn't do. He’d let Alec breach his defences, and the worst part was, he didn't even know how he'd let it happen.

Magnus smoothed down his vest anxiously, knowing that within a few short hours he’d have his answer, and was terrified as to what that would be.

The sound of the terrace door opening made him tense, knowing exactly who it would be. The one person he wanted to see the most and, simultaneously the least.

“Hey” Alec spoke softly and Magnus schooled his expression before looking up.

Alec stood next to him, his warm hazel eyes looking at him without any sign of deceit, and Magnus felt his breath hitch in his throat.

“Hey yourself..” Magnus smiled, hoping that he looked more in control than he felt.

“I...I know you probably want to be alone..I just..” Alec tapped his fingers nervously on the terrace wall. “I just wanted to thank you...you know, before …”

“Thank me?” Magnus crinkled his brows in confusion.

“Yes.” Alec smiled. “You gave me a chance when you didn’t have to and I…”

Alec took a deep breath before continuing.

“I just want you to know, everything you've done for me, everything I’ve learnt, it means a lot, probably more than you could ever know, so thank you.”

Magnus swallowed thickly, his mouth feeling suddenly dry. Alec looked at him with such openness and honesty, it took his breath away. He wanted nothing more than to believe him and yet…

“So yeah..that's all. I’ll leave you to it.” Alec shrugged lightly before starting to walk away, only to stop when he felt Magnus’ hand on his arm.

“Alec, I..” Magnus began to speak before stopping. The urge to admit everything he was feeling was almost irresistible, the only thing that stopped him was the thought of the others.

“Magnus?” Alec murmured, confusion flitting across his face.

Magnus took a deep breath before laughing softly in an attempt to lighten the mood.

“Nothing..” He smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring manner.

“Ok...so I guess I'll see you later then..” Alec ran his fingers through his hair and Magnus had to fight the urge to smooth it down afterwards.

“You will..” Alec ducked his head in response before walking off, leaving Magnus more confused than ever.

………..

  
They’d sat in silence for hours, the tension palpable whist they waited. Minutes felt like hours and Raj was starting to doubt his own intel. When he finally caught sight of Fell and Blackwell approaching the DuMort, both carrying an identical silver case, it took him a few seconds to process what he was seeing.

“They’re here..” Raj gasped, feeling the mix of adrenalin and anxiety coursing through his veins.

“Raj, look…” Lydia nudged him excitedly, pointing to a spot down from the hotel. Someone was clearly smiling down on them, it was more than he could've hoped for. A couple of uniformed beat cops were just wandering out of a bodega, having clearly stopped for a break.

Raj nodded sharply as he jumped to his feet.

“I’ll go grab them. We need all the help we can..Lydia, look you should take this..” Raj hesitated for a second before handing Lydia his spare gun.

“Raj…” Lydia held the weapon in the palm of her hand, an uncertain look on her face.

“Just in case.” Raj closed her fingers around the handle. “You know how to use it..”

“Yes…” Lydia stared at the gun cautiously.

“Good. Hopefully you won’t need it, but you know..” Raj watched Lydia as she pocketed the gun.

“Ok. Look, just go and get them...I’ll find Lightwood..”

…………

Alec took a deep breath to centre himself, he'd seen Ragnor and Blackwell enter the DuMort, he'd waited as instructed and now, well now he was ready.

Squaring his shoulders, he crossed the road and walked purposefully towards his destination.

“Alec!” Somewhere behind him a voice called out urgently. Putting it out of his mind he continued to walk, after all, in a city the size of New York there were bound to be thousands of other Alecs.

“Alec Lightwood.” Alec felt an arm on his shoulder and froze to the spot, his thoughts whirring.

Turning slowly, he saw a woman looking at him, blonde hair blue eyes and strangely familiar. Desperately he searched through his memories to try and recognise her, before realising it was the woman from the coffee shop. Laura? Lana? No Lydia, that was it.

“Umm..Hi..Lydia, right?” Alec smiled hesitantly, trying to think of a way to get rid of her as quickly as possible without arousing suspicion. “Look now’s not a good time…”

Alec’s words faded away as he realised something else. Lydia knew his name, his full name.

“Alec, I know..” Alec stared at her in disbelief, a nauseous feeling building in his gut. “You’re off to see Magnus Bane.”

Alec’s mouth felt suddenly dry and his heart was racing.

“Alec, we know it’s going down today. We're ready to move in. There’s no way out.” Lydia opened her jacket to show a police badge and Alec could taste bile in the back of his throat. “I'm giving you a chance, Alec. Help us and I’ll make sure the DA offers you a deal.”

Alec ripped his arm out of Lydia’s grasp, backing away towards the DuMort, his face a picture of horror. This couldn't be happening, not now.

Amidst the panic, one thought resonated through his mind.

_Save Magnus!_

So he turned and ran as if his life depended on it.

………

  
“Gentlemen, it's good to see you both.” Magnus shook hands with Blackwell and Ragnor before inviting them to sit down.

Ragnor laid his case on the coffee table in front of him and Blackwell mirrored the action.

“So, I take it everything is on course?” Ragnor asked, lounging back in his seat.

“Yes, actually everything came together remarkably well.” Magnus took his position in the armchair opposite them, whilst Cat stood behind them, near the door.

“Good, well here’s my contribution..” Ragnor leaned forward and opened his case, spinning it round to show Magnus the contents.

“Excellent” Magnus clicked the case shut and placed it on the floor to the side of the chair.

“Where’s Daddario?” Blackwell’s eyes flitted anxiously around as he fiddled with the lock on his case.

“Oh I'm sure he’ll be here soon.” Ragnor threw a meaningful look at Magnus, which Blackwell completely missed as he was so preoccupied.

“Fine. Well I don't want to hang around. Here’s the money.” Blackwell opened the case. “He’d better be here soon.”

Magnus had only just put the case with Ragnor’s when there was a frantic knocking at the door. Cat rushed to answer, and when the door was barely open, Alec barged through, not even stopping to pick up his case.

He paused for a second, breathing heavily, before seeming to focus in on Magnus.

“Magnus...I…” He didn't get any further before the door behind him was flung open and four people burst into the room, two in police uniform.

“NYPD. Nobody move. Magnus Bane, Ragnor Fell, Alec Lightwood and Catarina Loss, you are all under arrest for attempted fraud.” With a triumphant gleam in his eye, Raj held his police badge aloft in his left hand and his gun in his right.

………

Alec ran into the DuMort, his mind swimming, pushing past everyone in the lobby. None of the elevators were available and he didn't have time to wait, so he sprinted over to the stairwell, taking the steps two at a time.

He had to get to Magnus, the thought driving him on. Surely he had time, maybe the police didn't know what room they were using, they'd have to stop and check and _that_ delay, however small, would give him time to get everyone out. He had to try.

The trip to Magnus’ room had never felt so long and by the time he reached it, he could barely breathe. He didn't even notice Cat opening the door, his only aim to get to Magnus.

As he stood in the middle of the room, his head was spinning, panic rising in his chest. He barely had time to speak before all hell broke loose.

It felt like everything was going in slow motion, Lydia and her colleague stepping through the door brandishing badges, closely followed by two uniformed cops. He heard the male officer announcing himself and Mirandizing all of them and _still_ it didn’t feel real, more like the stuff of nightmares.

Alec only snapped back to reality when he felt one of the uniforms snap on handcuffs, the cold metal biting uncomfortably into his wrists. He looked around hopelessly to see Cat being ushered over to the center of the room where Ragnor stood his mouth slightly open in shock. It was only when he looked across at Magnus that his heart broke, he was still sat in his seat head in his hands, shoulders slumped in defeat.

The male uniformed officer walked round to the other side of the table to grab the cases after Lydia pointed in that direction.

“Ok, so that’s everything..I’ll get Lightwood, and you get Blackwell out of here...back up’s on its way.” Lydia spoke to the man next to him, a tall Asian man, who nodded back. He was smiling and Alec wanted nothing more than to wipe the smile off his face.

What happened next was so fast that he could barely track what was going on. All he knew was that Magnus had moved, so swiftly and suddenly, it didn't seem real. He was standing behind the chair, only now he held aloft the gun that he'd taken out of the cop’s holster and was pointing it straight at Alec, hand shaking slightly.

Vaguely he heard Cat and Ragnor screaming Magnus’ name but it felt like he was underwater, all he could hear was the blood rushing in his ears and all he could see was the look on Magnus’ face, a mixture of pain, anguish and anger.

“You….you did this…” It took Alec a second to realise Magnus was talking to him.

“I...no…” Alec was pleading. Lydia put her left hand on his shoulder and he shrugged it off as if it were toxic. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Lydia pointing her gun straight at Magnus.

“Bane..put the gun down..” She said calmly, trying to diffuse the situation. “It’s over..”

Alec instinctively moved towards Magnus, only freezing when a shot rang out. Behind him he could hear the plaster falling on the floor.

“I should've known...I trusted you..” Magnus’ normally calm voice was vibrating. “Maryse and Robert would be so proud..you played me so well..”

Alec couldn't speak, his tongue felt thick in his mouth. He wanted to scream, to convince Magnus that he was wrong but the words just wouldn't come. Magnus knew who he was, if only he'd told him, explained maybe..

He saw Magnus point the gun straight at him and it was too much, too unbearable, he closed his eyes briefly.

The screams intensified, Cat and Ragnor shouting, Magnus’ finger moving to the trigger and a gunshot, this time from beside him and Magnus was falling backwards, the gun dropping from his hand.

Cat ran over to Magnus screaming, hands pushing on his chest desperately, as Alec saw the blood starting to pool on the floor.

Blackwell, who had been silent up until this point, made his move, darting forward to grab his case, only to be stopped by the plainclothes cop.

“Raj, get him out of here” Lydia shouted.

Ragnor had joined Cat next to Magnus, grabbing his hand and pleading for him to hold on.

More people arrived, Alec dimly heard them announce themselves as hotel security.

“Secure the scene.”

“Suspect down.”

“Magnus, stay with us…”

The words blurred as Alec struggled to hold onto consciousness. One of the uniformed cops grabbed him and manhandled him out of the door and he didn't even resist, all the fight knocked out of him.

Looking over his shoulder he saw Cat sitting back on her heels and Ragnor hugging her, both of them shaking.

_No!_

…….

The situation had spiralled so quickly Raj could barely track it, from victory to chaos in what felt like seconds.

_She had no choice._

The words were echoing round his mind and it was true. Magnus Bane had been about to shoot, there was nothing else that could've been done, hell he’d have done the same.

“Secure the scene.” Raj shouted to one of the uniforms, a dark haired woman with tawny coloured skin. She looked shocked but nodded anyway. “Wait for back up and then bring them to my precinct.” Raj flashed his badge.

Hotel security arrived swiftly, three guys, obviously alerted by the sound of gunshots. He was glad for the extra support.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to get control. He’d grabbed Blackwell when he’d tried to run and the other uniform had passed him the case, after radioing for backup and an ambulance.

Priorities, that was what was important right now. Get Blackwell out, get Lightwood out, their two key witnesses, worry about Lydia using his gun later.

Raj dragged out Blackwell, closely followed by the uniformed officer pulling out Lightwood, with a stunned looking Lydia behind him.

The journey down to the underground parking was silent, Raj putting Blackwell into his car, whilst holding the case firmly wary of him trying to make another break for it.

Lydia leaned against the car, trembling slightly.

“You had no choice.” Raj reassured her and his words seemed to hit their mark as he saw her straighten up and school her expression.

“Yeah, I know.” She smiled weakly.

“So…You ok?”

“Yes..yes, I'm fine.” Lydia smoothed her hair down before straightening up and breathing deeply. “We need to get him to talk”

Lydia nodded over to Lightwood, who was being practically held up by one of the beat cops.

“Show him the evidence..he’ll have no choice...what with Bane..out of the picture..” Raj stumbled over the last words. There was no doubt in his mind, the last thing he’d seen was Fell and Loss breaking down. There was a real possibility that Magnus Bane was dead.

“Yes...right.” Lydia set her shoulders with determination. “ You have it?”

Raj nodded before moving round to open the trunk and opening it to show the laptop and a file of photos.

“Good..great..” Lydia looked at him steely eyed. “I'll get through to him, otherwise it was all for nothing..”

Lydia grabbed all the evidence.

“I’ll follow you to the station.” She hesitated slightly. “Actually no. I doubt he’ll talk there, not yet.”

Raj thought for a second and glanced across at Lightwood. Taking him to the station right now might be the last straw, in all likelihood he’d just shut down completely, and if there was one thing they needed, it was a quick resolution to, well, mitigate the circumstances. What he needed right now was everything to be wrapped up, present Detective Vargas with a closed case, complete with witnesses willing to testify.

“So where then?” Lydia looked at him nibbling at her lower lip anxiously.

“I have a loft I'm staying in, you know, house swap thing..” She said after a pause.

“It’ll do..take the officer with you, yeah..?” Raj glanced across to the other cop. “And Lydia, take care.”

Lydia nodded sharply before turning to leave and directing the cop to her car.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *hides behind sofa* 
> 
> Please don't kill me...I'm sorry....
> 
> The good news is the final chapter is done so it's just going through its final edit and should be with you soon...
> 
> Anyway feel free to shout at me- I probably deserve it...


	12. And so it ends.....

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the drama of the con, secrets are revealed. Can Magnus and Alec survive?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here we are...the final chapter...I hope you enjoy the ending :-)

Alec barely noticed the journey, he couldn't process anything at the moment, his mind was only focused on one thought, Magnus.

He felt himself being dragged out of the car, eyes fixed on the ground beneath him as he stumbled forward, vaguely aware of being pulled up some stairs and through a door, before being pushed onto a sofa and the cuffs being removed.

It took more than a few seconds to take in his surroundings, he seemed to be sitting on a black leather sofa with a curiously large amount of multicoloured cushions.

As he moved to sit up straighter, the room started to spin as the memories came flooding back. The look on Magnus’ face as he fell, the sound of the gunshot and the bloom of blood ever expanding on his chest.

“Alec, look at me…” Lydia was sat in an arm chair opposite watching him intently and Alec fought to stay where he was, nausea almost overwhelming him.

Carefully, Lydia leant forward a little, putting a glass of water on the table. Alec couldn't even bear to look at her, his hands clenching into fists despite himself, wrists still sore from where he'd been cuffed.

Glancing around him he tried to take in more of his surroundings, despite his somewhat blurry vision. The room he was now in seemed to be part of some sort of open plan loft which was ornately decorated. A small part of Alec's brain managed to note it was strange, to say the least. He had a vague memory of the police talking about taking him to a safe house, so he supposed that's where he must be, although the flamboyant drapes and artwork that surrounded him were really not what he expected out of an NYPD hideout.

“Alec, we need to talk..” Lydia spoke gently and once again Alec tasted bile at the back of his throat.

“And why exactly would I want to talk to _you_..?” Alec’s head snapped round to stare at her, the woman who had shot Magnus.

“Alec..” The look of mock compassion on Lydia's face would've ordinarily made him furious, but honestly, all he felt was numb.

“You shot him..” There was something unreal about the sound of his own voice, Alec thought distractedly, as if someone else had spoken for him, his words flat and emotionless.

“Alec, he was going to shoot you..” Lydia almost pleaded.

“Because you told him I’d betrayed him..” Another wave of emotion hit him. Magnus had believed Alec had turned on him, the thought so horrific that he had to drop his head in his hands to stop from passing out.

“Look Alec, I am genuinely sorry things panned out that way, believe me I am, but I had no choice, but you do now. You can still save yourself.” Alec looked up slightly in disbelief, his mind still swimming. Surely Cat would save him, he'd be Ok, he had to be Ok.

“Alec, we have everyone, we have the evidence. They're all going away for a long time, but you can save yourself. Agree to give evidence and the DA will offer you immunity. You can still be there for your family..” Lydia reached for a file by the side of the chair and flicked through it. “ For Isabelle, Jace and Max. They still need you.”

Alec looked up as Lydia opened the file on the table between them and spread out a series of surveillance photos clearly taken over the last few weeks, all grainy but distinct. He wanted nothing more than to check Magnus survived but didn't want to ask Lydia, afraid that somehow the question would give something away, although he wasn't entirely sure what.

“It's all here, Alec. Ragnor Fell, Luke Garroway, Clary and Jocelyn Fray. They're all here..” Lydia shoved each photo towards him.

“Don't recognise those names. Sorry.” Alec was amazed at how flippant he sounded, when all he wanted to do was rip that murderous bitches throat out.

“Alec, please. Look, let me give you a minute. Do the smart thing.” Lydia pushed a pad and pen towards him before standing up and moving over towards the doorway where Alec had only just noticed there was an officer stationed.

His hands shook as he reached forward and tentatively picked up the photos. They were all there, laughing and joking. He ran his finger over the image of Magnus’ face, the grey image not able to show how colourfully Magnus would seem to fill the room with his presence. Alec felt a tear fall softly down his face and didn't even have the strength to wipe it away. Reaching for the pen and paper, he made his decision.

…………

Raj turned to look at the shocked face of the man in the back of the car, ashen and white.

“Look, we’re just going to go back to the station and take your statement.” He spoke calmly but the man just looked up at him blankly.

“And my money..” He indicated towards the metal briefcase on the passenger seat.

“We’ll have to keep hold of that for now as evidence, but after the trial..” Raj's words seemed to shock the man back to consciousness and he shook his head as if trying to clear his thoughts.

“No.” The man spoke firmly. “I’ll tell you what's going to happen. I'm going to get out of this car and take my money with me. I'm not pressing charges.”

“You can’t..” Raj tried to fight the rising sense of panic.

“I can and I will. I was working on a deal here and now that's shot to shit, so you know what, I'm gonna cut my losses and go back to LA. When this hits the press, the company is going to take a massive hit, so quite frankly, I couldn't give a flying fuck about your little court case. What I _do_ care about is getting another deal underway before I lose all my investors.” The man straightened his suit jacket, slipping easily back into the facade of an in-control businessman.

“But he tried to con you…” Raj cursed himself, hearing the desperation in his own voice.

“Yep and now he's in all likelihood dead. I'm not under arrest, am I?” The man looked at him coolly.

“Well, no but..”

“Fine, then you can't keep me..” The man reached for the car door and opened it, stepping out, only pausing to grab the suitcases from the seat in front.

Raj desperately leapt out of the car, calling after the man who was striding purposefully down the sidewalk, to no avail.

Reaching for his phone, he texted Lydia.

_You need to get Lightwood to talk, the mark won’t testify._

………..

Lydia's phone buzzed and she grabbed it from her pocket, looking down at the message before walking back over to Alec, her face a mask of professionalism, as she reached down for the pad. On it were scrawled five words.

_Screw this and screw you_

Alec leaned back on the sofa, folding his arms across his chest as he watched her face.

“Alec..” There was a pleading tone to her voice which Alec found strangely satisfying.

“I can't help you. All I see here are pictures of Mike with his friends and the other guy he was in business with and yeah, he did introduce me to some of them but I guess we made a connection, I thought maybe that after the deal was done, we could go for a drink.” Alec's voice was dripping with sarcasm. Magnus may well never know that he'd never betrayed him, but he was damned if he was going to betray any of the others.

“Alec, you know his name was Magnus…”

“Do I? Look, I know insider trading is a crime and all that, but seeing as the deal didn't go through, good luck with proving that, eh..” Alec smiled humourlessly, locking eyes with Lydia.

“Fine. Have it your way..” Lydia sighed, shrugging her shoulders before standing from her seat. “I'm sorry Alec, you give me no choice..”

Lydia looked over to the uniformed officer by the door.

“Elias, you know what to do..” she said, her face strangely unreadable.

“Yes ma’am” Alec braced himself for the cuffs going back on as the officer strode toward him, before watching in confusion as he walked straight past to the corridor behind Lydia.

The sound of a door opening and people's laughter reached Alec and everything suddenly felt off kilter, as his eyes adjusted to see the beaming faces of Ragnor, Jocelyn, Cat, Clary and Simon, and there behind them, following almost sheepishly, a face he'd never thought he'd see again. Magnus Bane, very much alive and breathing, walking towards him carrying an open bottle of champagne in one hand and a metal briefcase in the other and seemingly uninjured.

“See! I told you he wouldn't break… you really should listen to me more, my old friend..” Ragnor was smiling widely as he nudged Magnus in the side.

“I don't … I don't understand...you're ok...but…”

Alec felt himself gaping in shock at the sight in front of him. Magnus had reached Lydia by that point, and placing the briefcase on the table, leaned over towards her, reading the text message on her phone before barking out a laugh. He turned to Alec, his face almost apologetic.

“So I should explain..” He said calmly and Alec just nodded dumbly “Alexander Lightwood meet Stephanie Bennett, an old friend of mine, oh and over there, is Elias. Sadly the lovely Dorothea, our other little beat cop had to rush off and obviously hotel security was provided by my good friend Raphael.”

Alec glanced over his shoulder to see Elias offer him a mock salute before moving towards the loft door. Alec spun round to see the now smiling face of Lydia, no Stephanie, looking at him.

“Hey… you did great Alec. I'm sorry, for what it's worth...but you know, desperate times and all that..” All traces of Lydia's clipped English accent disappeared, replaced by a soft west coast drawl.

“So you're not a cop..”

“Nah, just owed Magnus a favour, just passing through really and he always has the most fun jobs..” Stephanie and Magnus shared a fist bump.

“So there's no Lydia Branwell..I...how?” Alec stared between Magnus and Lydia, no Stephanie.

“Oh no Lydia is very much a real person and a very talented police officer. She was quite the thorn in my side in London, well until we became friends that is, which, as it turned out, was mutually highly beneficial.” Magnus smiled softly as he reminisced. “I was truly sad to say goodbye when I left although I think she was rather glad to take advantage of my departure to have a well earned holiday. I did give her an all inclusive trip to a very high class spa in Texas as a thank you which was pretty fortunate for me. Funny how it works out isn't it..”

“But I..” Alec didn't get a chance to finish the sentence as Luke came striding into the loft, closely followed by Jace, Max and Izzy, who came rushing up towards him, concern written all over her face.

“I told you...I told you Alec would never spill…” Izzy spat angrily at Luke, who just shrugged in response. “Alec, are you OK? ...Luke told us everything…”

“I...I think so….” Alec stared up at his sister's concerned face and started laughing, the relief causing him to become almost hysterical.

“Hey, drink this. You deserve it..” Ragnor pushed a champagne flute into his hand, “Oh and if it's any consolation, he didn't tell Cat or I what he had planned either….” Ragnor glared at Magnus.

“So how...but you knew though, right..?” Alec felt himself calming down a little.

“Yes, well fortunately Steph and I go way back..” Ragnor grumbled. “And I know how his twisted little mind works, so..”

Alec took a large gulp of his drink, the bubbles tickling his throat before pausing to look up at Magnus again.

“Wait… why are we celebrating….was that other cop… Raj was it, in on it too..?” Alec furrowed his brows in confusion. Magnus waved his arm toward Luke to answer.

“Nah..he's a genuine member of New York's finest...that's why we needed all this…Luckily I still have some friends on the force, so I heard Raj had taken an unhealthy interest in Magnus..” Luke chuckled.

“Then the money’s gone..” Alec suddenly felt flat.

“Is it now..?” Magnus leant forward and opened the briefcase on the table. “Elias is a master of sleight of hand.. which reminds me.”

Magnus grabbed two wedges of cash and gave one to Stephanie and threw the other to Elias, who caught it gracefully.

“Well, as ever, it's been fun..” Stephanie grinned as she stood up, “but you guys should really celebrate together..”

After Elias replaced the uniform for normal clothes, Lydia looped her arm through his and the pair left laughing.

…………

Raj paced anxiously by the car, he still hadn't had a response from Lydia and the delay was starting to get to him. Whilst he was waiting for a reply from her, he'd made the decision to drive to headquarters but with the continued radio silence, he was starting to regret that decision.

Still, he was here now, and as he guessed Lydia would still be busy getting Alec Lightwood to talk, there was nothing for it but to start the ball rolling. Ok, so it wasn't ideal that the mark didn’t want to press charges but they had more than enough evidence without that and Alec's statement would just be the icing on the cake. Decision made, he walked into the building.

Detective Vargas was, as expected, in her office, dealing with a mountain of paperwork and she looked up as Raj knocked and entered, a quizzical expression on her face.

“Raj, aren't you still on leave?” Vargas put away the file open on her desk and sitting back in her chair glanced at Raj again, eyes slightly narrowed.

“Yep, but I have news…” Raj met Vargas’ uncompromising stare with equal determination, pushing down the increasing gut instinct that something wasn't quite right.

“Raj..” Vargas’ voice was a mixture of concern and warning and Raj’s hand went to the phone in his pocket, desperate to feel the vibration that would indicate a response from Lydia.

“No, hear me out. We did it, we got Magnus Bane and the whole gang, caught red handed..” Raj crossed his arms firmly and stared confidently back.

“Fine, I’ll bite...but this had better be good..” Vargas indicated the chair in front of the desk and reluctantly, Raj sat down, feeling suddenly nervous.

Taking a deep breath, Raj began to explain the events of the last few weeks, all the while being watched by Vargas’ hawk-like stare.

“So as you can see, whilst it's not ideal, Mr Blackwell has decided not to testify, but with the surveillance pictures and the statement from Alec Lightwood, we can put the whole crew away..” Vargas hadn't said anything throughout Raj’s story and now he'd finished speaking, the silence seemed to stretch painfully as she simply twirled a pen in her hands.

“So Magnus Bane is dead ?”

“Yes… so okay, that wasn't ideal either, but Detective Branwell really had no choice…” Raj’s voice faded away as Vargas gestured him to be quiet with a wave of her hand.

“Hmm..” Vargas stood up and started to pace around the office, deep in thought. “Ok so I'm trying to make sense of this Raj. Look, probably best you show me the surveillance pictures and we can go from there.”

Raj shifted uncomfortably in his chair as his superior looked at him kindly.

“Raj..you do have them, don't you?” Vargas perched on the desk in front of him.

“Well no … I mean Lydia needed them to convince Lightwood to talk..” It was starting to dawn on Raj as he spoke that maybe that hadn't been great idea but still, Lydia had given him no reason to doubt her.

“Then I think perhaps I need to speak to Detective Branwell.”

“Yeah sure..” Raj grabbed for his phone, his hands shaking despite himself under Vargas' stern gaze as he called Lydia's number.

Within seconds there was a distinctive beeping sound on the phone line and an automated message that made Raj’s stomach clench painfully.

_This number is no longer available_

Raj’s head was spinning, the reality of the situation starting to dawn on him, but no, surely there must be some mistake. Hastily he redialed the number, only to be greeted by the same message.

“Problem?” Vargas moved back to her chair.

“I can't reach her..” Raj couldn't help but feel that the sound of his voice reflected exactly how he was feeling, flat and unreal.

“And she has all the evidence and the only potential witness” Vargas stated plainly and Raj just nodded, feeling increasingly numb.

“I...don't understand...I checked up...she checked out..” Raj stuttered.

Vargas just raised an eyebrow.

“I called her office in London, they confirmed that she was on annual leave and had come over to the US, as far as they were aware. Hell, I even found her on Facebook..Why would she do this...she's one of us..” Raj rubbed the back of his neck, trying to make some sort of sense out of the situation and fighting down the thought that somehow, even though he really wasn't sure how, he'd been well and truly played.

“Wait...wait...when Magnus was shot there were two uniforms there...we called in backup...there'll be a report..” his relief was short lived as he watched Vargas type away at the computer screen.

“There's no incident report, Raj..” Vargas replied sadly, and Raj felt physically sick. Surely it wasn't possible, he'd been so certain. As he pulled up his Facebook app on his phone, he knew what he was likely to see, but the confirmation was enough to make his head spin. There was Lydia’s Facebook profile, exactly as it'd been before, except for one crucial thing, the photos had all changed, sure they showed a blonde haired blue eyed woman but that woman was most definitely _not_ the Lydia he'd known, no this woman was a complete stranger.

Raj dropped his phone into his lap as he slumped his head forward.

Vargas had come round the desk to lay a hand on his shoulder in consolation.

“I'm sorry Raj. You're a great detective, you know but Magnus Bane, well he's something else. There's a reason I told you to leave this alone. Don't let this destroy you, stick to the criminals we can catch, let it go.”

Raj nodded numbly as he rose from the seat and stumbled out of the office. It was only after he passed his desk that he noticed the basket of muffins sat on his desk with a large package next to it.

“Hey Raj, you OK? This got delivered for you a few minutes ago..” Alaric looked up at his partner and Raj could've sworn there was a look of sympathy there.

Hastily Raj tore open the package to reveal a sheaf of computer printouts and a handwritten note.

_No hard feelings Raj, I would say better luck next time but I really wouldn't mean it. I hope this in some way makes up for it!_

_M_

Raj almost wanted to laugh as he sorted through the papers. It was all there, every illegal deal, every link to The Circle, the private accounts of Blackwell Inc. There was enough there to shut the company down for good and send the CEO away for a long time. And all provided courtesy of one Magnus Bane.

………….

As the evening turned to early morning, Alec took his opportunity to sneak away and process everything that had happened. The loft was still buzzing and vibrant and his family and Magnus’ crew had seemed to merge seamlessly.

Jace was currently engaged in a very heated game of poker with Catarina, Clary, Luke and Jocelyn watching on as he continued to lose, despite his best efforts. Max and Simon were having an in depth discussion about hacking, anime and graphic novels which Izzy was following closely, amusement evident in her eyes. Raphael had arrived at some point, and despite his obvious delight at the outcome, was making sure that Magnus was fully aware that fixing bullet holes in walls and blood stained cream carpets was not his idea of fun. Ragnor seemed to be taking great delight in winding up both sides.

So Alec had slipped out onto the roof terrace to clear his mind, the warm buzz of alcohol in his veins protecting him from the early morning chill.

He’d just settled by the wall, looking out onto Brooklyn, when he heard the door open behind him, the sound of raucous laughter being rapidly silenced as the door closed.

“Is it Ok if I join you? I mean if you want to be alone, I understand..” Alec looked to see Magnus standing beside him. Whilst he’d changed into his usual flamboyant style, perfect make up, tight leather trousers and red shirt open to nearly his waist, there was no mistaking the uncertainty behind it all.

“No..no..it’s..no, I'm glad you're here.” Alec smiled shyly and it was mirrored perfectly by Magnus.

They stood looking at each other for a few moments, neither sure what to say and for once it was Alec who spoke first.

“So you know who I am then…” Alec scanned Magnus’ face for any kind of reaction but he only nodded.

“Magnus, I'm so sorry..” Alec looked down, studying his hands placed palm down on the terrace wall.

“What?” Magnus looked at him in shock, a look that Alec only caught as he glanced up through his eyelashes.

“I am though, sorry that is. I should've trusted you and I didn't and I…” Straightening up, Alec met Magnus’ gaze.

“Alec..” Magnus looked at him wide eyed.

“No, I need to say this. I'm not, well, good with words.” Magnus chuckled softly as he spoke. “You've noticed...anyway I need, no I wanted to explain, especially after all you've done for me, well us really.”

Magnus opened his mouth to speak but Alec continued before he had a chance.

“I thought that if you knew who my parents were, well, they're not good people.”

“Alexander..” Magnus whispered but Alec put a hand up to stop him.

“Please.” Alec pleaded and Magnus nodded. “I always knew that I guess, but I never knew just how bad.I found out…”

Magnus had angled his body towards Alec and was leaning against the wall, watching attentively.

“When, when they found out I was gay, it was…” Alec turned to look out at the streets, not able to take the scrutiny in case he lost his courage. Taking a breath, he continued. “The shouting I expected you know, being kicked out even but...they blamed Jace.”

Alec glanced across to see the look of shock on Magnus face.

“They claimed he’d turned me gay, even though you know there was never, never anything like that between us, I mean when I was younger I had a crush but...well..yeah anyway. They were so angry, said they never should've taken him in, if they hadn't felt guilty about his parents..”

Alec turned to face Magnus again before continuing.

“They knew that Stephen and Celine, Jace’s parents, were planning on testifying against Valentine and what’s worse, they were aware Valentine knew as well. They could've done something but they didn't, they sat back and watched as Valentine got rid of them, I'm pretty sure they even knew when it was happening. Jace was five years old, he was in the car crash that killed them…” Alec hung his head, he wanted Magnus to know but revisiting that fateful day was more painful than he'd expected, the years doing little to diminish the hurt.

“Does he know?” Magnus, as usual, had picked up on Alec's disquiet and gently encouraged him to finish his story.

“Yeah. It all came out when they found out about me. Jace heard it all..” Alec shook his head sadly. “That’s on me..”

“No, darling, that's on them..” Magnus rested his hand gently on Alec’s forearm. Alec just let it rest there, the comforting warmth of such a simple gesture helping him continue.

“Jace went crazy.” Alec shivered at the memory of Jace shouting at his parents, the horror struck look in their eyes, and him having to physically restrain his brother for fear of what he would do.

“Understandable.” Magnus nodded

“He pretends not to care but really he’s the most emotional of all of us. Izzy and I, we were scared of what he'd do, so we tried to help, you know, find a way to take them down...Jace was obsessed, that’s how he heard about you..” Alec looked up at Magnus again, seeking reassurance and perhaps understanding.

“Ah, the pattern..” Magnus murmured.

“Yeah..” Alec ran his fingers through his hair anxiously. “I wanted to tell you but…”

“You thought I wouldn't believe you..” Magnus murmured under his breath, his words filled with sadness and regret.

“Yeah….”

“Oh Alexander…” Magnus squeezed his arm slightly.

“I'm so, so sorry Magnus..” Alec watched as Magnus raised his index finger and held it just in front of his lips.

“No. Only you could apologise to me after what I put you through today. If anyone should be apologising, it's me..” Magnus shook his head, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

“No, no..” Alec looked at him with determination. “ I get it. You had to be sure…”

“Yes, but..”

“Magnus, I'm not gonna lie, when I thought you were gone, it was….” Alec blinked away tears forming at the corners of his eyes as the image of Magnus crumpled on the floor flashed before him. “You weren't to know..”

Magnus raised an eyebrow in confusion, hands dropping to his sides.

“I should've known. I think a large part of me did. If it’s any consolation, I had Steph bring you to my loft, not many people know about this place…” Magnus smiled, although it didn't quite reach his eyes, which were still filled with concern.

“That’s not...oh, oh Ok..” Alec’s eyes widened as he processed Magnus’ words. Despite it all, Magnus had trusted him, if only a little, even though he'd given him no real reason to do so.

“Alexander…?” Magnus crinkled his brows in confusion.

“It doesn't matter..” Alec shrugged, trying at least to give the outward appearance of nonchalance, knowing that he'd almost given away his feelings, the one thing he'd promised himself he'd never do.

“Look at me, please.” Magnus pleaded and Alec turned to face him. “I think if we’ve learnt anything from today, it’s that we need to be honest with each other, don't you think..?”

“Yeah..” Alec felt his heart racing under Magnus’ intense scrutiny. “Look it’s..it’s...the thought of losing you...I…”

Alec couldn't find the words, his breath catching as he felt himself drowning in Magnus’ warm brown eyes.

Slowly, almost cautiously, Magnus reached forward and took Alec’s hand, placing it over his heart.

“I'm here, Alec. I promise..” The atmosphere seemed to change, becoming charged with an electrical energy that hadn't existed between them before. Alec’s head span as he felt Magnus’ warm skin under his palm, the feel of his heart racing under his fingertips matching Alec's, beat for beat.

“Alexander, you are one of the most incredible people I've ever met. I don't think you even realise how special you are…” Magnus sighed.

Tentatively, Alec reached a hand up to cup Magnus’ face, almost in disbelief. As Magnus leaned into the touch, his thumb gently caressed his cheekbone without any conscious thought. It felt as natural as breathing.

“After Camille, I closed myself off, promised I would never let myself feel anything for anyone again. You unlocked something in me, breached all my defences..”

Magnus didn't get a chance to finish speaking, Alec closed the distance between them, pressing their lips together hesitantly, before pulling back a little, their foreheads resting against each other.

“Is this real..?” Alec whispered under his breath.

Magnus reached up to hold Alec’s face in his hands, forcing him to see the sincerity of his words.

“It is for me...Alexander, I understand after what Ive done..” Magnus looked at him with such openness that Alec could barely breathe, and this time when their lips met, he pushed all his feelings into the kiss, losing himself in the moment.

As Alec felt Magnus move his hands to his hair, the world caught fire around him, nothing else existed but the feel of those perfect lips against him, both of them grasping onto each other as if their lives depended on it. Magnus ran his tongue along the seam of Alec’s mouth and he had no hesitation in deepening the kiss, dragging him still closer as they explored each other with desperate hands and mouths spinning Magnus to push him up against the wall.

The sound of loud cheers behind them made Alec pull back, breaths coming in short pants with Magnus looking equally wrecked.

“Finally..” Ragnor sighed in exasperation. “Honestly, old friend, I rather think you're losing your touch..”

Alec groaned and dropped his head onto Mangus shoulder to hide his embarrassment, as Magnus began to shake with laughter.

“And yet you still have an uncanny ability to ruin the mood.” Magnus replied, the amusement in his voice softening his words.

Alec turned slightly to see everyone smiling happily from the doorway, even Max was giving him an enthusiastic thumbs up.

Alec smiled slowly at his new friends and his family, head still swimming, before noticing something rather disturbing.

“Umm Jace. Quick question, why the hell are you naked?” Honestly, at that moment in time Alec was more than grateful to turn the attention on to his brother.

“Well in my defence, I hadn't just earned a shit ton of money...so…” Jace shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, one of Magnus’ cushions held firmly in front of him to preserve the last fragments of his dignity.

“So you decided strip poker was a good idea..against Cat?” Alec had turned so his back was leaning against Magnus’ chest as they clasped their hands together. Cat shrugged and grinned back.

“Well…” Jace began..

“Wait, is that one of my cushions..?” Magnus gasped.

“Trust me, it’s better this way.” Izzy laughed

“Alexander, I love you, but your brother may take a little longer..” Magnus froze when he realised what he’d said..

“You love me?” Alec gasped, turning to look directly at him. Of all the things that had happened today, all the emotions, those three little words seemed to fill his very soul, as if in some way the final piece of the puzzle that was his life had clicked into place.

“I…” Magnus hesitated, the unmistakable look of vulnerability in his eyes.

“I love you too…” Alec murmured as he dipped down to catch Magnus’ lips again.

The moment was somewhat ruined by a chorus of oohs and aahs from the doorway, along with the predictably juvenile sound of Jace telling them to get a room.

“Ok enough...everyone out…” Magnus broke away from Alec and glared over his shoulder.

“As if I want to stay here and watch you two making out like a pair of teenager...ouch..” Ragnor grumbled, only stopping when Cat slapped him playfully on the arm. “Fine I'm going…”

“Party at ours..” Izzy declared happily.

“An excellent plan, my dear.” Ragnor looped his arm through Izzy’s and Alec couldn't help but roll his eyes at the thought of those two being friends.

As everyone rapidly left, the loft descended into silence.

“I hope you don't mind me sending everyone away.” Magnus bit his lip slightly as he looked at Alec, a gesture he found adorable.

“God no..” Alec murmured, still holding Magnus in his arms, as if afraid to let go.

“Good, because I feel like I need to make things up to you..” Magnus murmured seductively.

“You really don't...oh okay..” Alec broke into a grin as the meaning behind Magnus’ words dawned on him.

Magnus moved towards the door before pausing to extend a hand to Alec, which he accepted gladly.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I've always said I'm all about the happy ending.
> 
> Before I go I'd like to say a huge thanks to you, yes you reading this silly little fic. To everyone who's read, liked a commented on this fic thank you from the bottom of my heart, it means probably more than you even realise.
> 
> Of course my final thanks have to go to the wonderful, amazing Ladymatt - I've said it many times but it's still just as true, I honestly couldn't do it without you ILYSM Cariad 
> 
> Anyway so I truly hope you enjoyed this, I may at some point come back to this verse to see what our boys are up to - give me a shout if anyone would like that.
> 
> Thanks, all the love  
> Tigs xoxo
> 
> @the-burning tiger on tumblr

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo......I would, as ever love to hear what you think...
> 
> I'm planning on about 10 ish chapters at the moment and am hoping to update weekly...if people like the story there may even be more tales to tell in this verse...
> 
> Feel free to come and shout at me on tumblr as well @the-burning-tiger


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